The Syrian Brit

We will not go down (Song for Gaza)

2009-01-09T00:12:00.001Z

For Gaza..
Rime, it is my pleasure to oblige...

We are all Gaza

2008-12-28T21:57:00.004Z

Picture courtesy of Mosaics

Aref Dalila is freed

2008-08-08T00:04:00.002+01:00

About bloody time!...

Speechless...

2008-06-28T23:25:00.003+01:00

A great man passed away today...
A scholar of the highest standing, and a man of principle, great integrity, and endless charm, Dr Shaker Faham will be deeply missed, not only by his family and numerous, numerous friends, but also by the educational establishment across the Arab World, particularly by Arabic Language scholars.
May God take you into His mercy, Ammo Shaker.

A Syrian Hakeem in Britain - A Declaration of Intentions

2008-06-23T00:40:00.003+01:00

My friend Abu Kareem has recently published an interesting post, talking about his experiences as a Foreign Medical Graduate..

Reading what Abu Kareem had written made me think of my own experiences, as a Syrian Hakeem in Britain.. and I thought I will write a post about those experiences..

However, I quickly realised that these experiences are, in a large part, the product of interaction between what I faced in Britain, and a lifetime of previous experiences and events... To write just about my time in the UK would not give the full picture..

So, I am embarking on what may prove to be quite a monumental project.... an attempt to chart a course through my career in Medicine so far...

But you will have to humour me.. This is going to take some time, a commodity that I do not have in abundance...

I will be back soon.. with a post, possibly the first of several posts, about a Syrian Hakeem in Britain...

Ransom Paid!...

2008-03-08T01:13:00.005Z

Free!.. I am free, at last!...
Yes!..
A few months ago, I made up my mind.. I decided that I no longer want to be held at ransom..
I decided that I will pay the £ 3,000, in return for my freedom to visit MY country..
And yesterday, I got my Military Service Book from home.. and Lo and Behold.. it is all there.. It is now official.. My file has been closed...

Now, there is no stopping me!..

The Price of Subbornness.. Who's Paying ?..

2008-03-04T02:44:00.003Z

In my daily scanning of the blogosphere, I invariably make a pause at my friend Abu Kareem's blog, The Levantine Dreamhouse.. For me, his passionate views, his immensely well-informed arguments, his robust and deep-rooted beliefs, are a source of inspiration and a focus of admiration..
His latest offering is no exception..
I wanted to leave a comment, but realised that I was writing too much!.. I did not want to abuse his hospitality, so I decided to put my views on his post in a separate post of my own...
Abu Kareem, with his notable courage, tried to tackle a very difficult concept.. Can a leader commit his people to a battle they cannot win?.. Should a leader pursue a venture that will bring death and destruction to his people, in the name of honour and dignity?.. Are 'principles' more important than people?.. The corollary to that question is, of course, 'whose principles?!'...
Most reasonable people would agree with the right of self-defense.. and most should accept that it applies to both parties in any dispute.
Most reasonable people would agree that it is the duty of a patriotic leader to stand up to the enemies of his Nation, and to uphold and defend its sovereignty..
However, I believe that a wise and compassionate leader will have the protection of his people as his first and foremost aim..
A wise and compassionate leader will weigh the pros and cons of his actions, in terms of what miseries they will bring and what relief they provide.. Lashing out haphazardly at a vastly superior enemy will not be in the interest of the People, as the response is likely to be disproportionate...
A wise and compassionate leader will, if he has to, work WITH his arch enemies to protect his people, until he can learn to defeat those enemies.. I am fully aware of the argument that cites Abbas's work with the Israelis as a demonstration of the failure of such strategy.. and I accept that, at face value, this example is a case against my argument.. However, I believe that the fault with this example lies in that it starts from the premise that Abbas is working for the interest of the Palestinian People, a statement I strongly disagree with.. Therefore, I do not accept this example in the first place..
A wise and compassionate leader will work with his people, all his people, to defeat their mutual enemy.. Both Hamas and Fatah are guilty of driving a wedge through the midst of the Palestinian masses.. Neither has the legitimacy to speak for the People, because each have their own hidden macabre agenda..
A wise and compassionate leader will know when to fight and when to sit back and wait.. Clearly, Hamas lack this insight.. They continue to provide Israel with excuse after excuse, in case Israel needed any, to pummel Gaza with more firepower, and inflict more misery on its besieged population..
Our modern history is awash with 'leaders' who could only see as far as their noses.. leaders whose own delusions of grandeur enticed them to take their People to the brink of the abyss.. and often beyond.. leaders whose people have paid a very high price for the leader's lack of insight, treason, stubbornness, or sheer stupidity.. leaders who are more than willing to send millions of their people to certain death, as long as they themselves are safe from harm...
Neither Hamas nor Fatah is a wise and compassionate leader...
Hamas and Fatah care only for their own interests..
And the wretched people.. the helpless children.. the unarmed men and women.. pay the price for the stubbornness and lack of foresight of their leaders...

Formative Social Training... or Misspent Youth?..

2008-02-26T02:29:00.002Z

My 'Old Mate' Abu Fares decided to 'tag' me.. (Well, he implicitly claims that he did it because he was required to, as one of the conditions of a tag he had received himself.. I actually believe he drew much joy from putting me on the spot!... but that's another story altogether..) The 'tag' sounded simple enough, but the old cynic in me knew that these things are always more complex than they first seem...

All I had to do was to list 'Six Things One Should Do Before 18'... but there are some rules for this game:

1. Post these rules before presenting your list.

2. List 6 actions or achievements you think every person should accomplish before turning 18.

3. There are no conditions on what can be included on the list.

4. At the end of your blog, choose 6, or less, people to get tagged and list their names.

5. People who are tagged write their own blog entry with their 6 suggestions.

6. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged.

The first problem, of course, was that, now that I am on the wrong side of 50, being 18 is a vague and distant memory for me.. not to mention that being 18 then was totally different from being 18 now..

The next problem was that my 'Old Mate' Abu Fares used all the good answers, and now I have to come up with something really original.. Mind you, there is nothing in the rules above that says you cannot reuse items from someone else's list...

Another problem is.. How do I list certain things, without confirming that I myself have done them?.. How do I get away from incriminating myself?.. So, for that purpose, let me make it absolutely clear from the outset, that what I write here is entirely theoretical, and not at all based on personal experiences.. and that any similarities between what I write and real life (MY real life, that is..) are purely coincidental.. OK?.. (Does that sound convincing enough?.. No?..)

So, with all that in mind, I hereby list my choice of 'Six Things One Should Do Before 18' ...

First, I believe that every person, man or woman, should fall in love before they reach the age of maturity (if you can call being 18 'mature'..).. be it with your teacher, your best mate's sister, or with the girl next door.. That exquisite feeling of being totally besotted.. totally consumed.. can only be understood if experienced.. Perhaps I should rephrase that opening statement.. perhaps I should say that everyone must experience the feeling of believing they are in love... because, more often than not, we soon 'discover' that the person we have 'fallen in love with' hasn't even noticed that we ever existed.. and what a blow that is to a young, tender heart.. You might feel that your life is about to end right there and then.. you might be unable to envisage a future without your lost love.. you might vow not to fall in love ever again.. but sure enough, you move on and you do fall in love again, but this time it will be for real, and it will be returned, and what's more, it will be absolute heaven... then, and perhaps only then, you can look back at your first experience of love, and smile...

Second, I think everyone should experience having a 'soul mate' before they reach 18.. Friendships forged in childhood are pure and selfless.. they are devoid of any ulterior motives.. and when you grow up, these childhood friendships can become the cornerstone of your being, and the rock of your stability.. Although my adolescence soul mate lives in Damascus (having been to the US for several years and gone back home), we are in constant contact, and we, I believe, contribute to each other's sanity and resilience..

Third, everybody should go through a phase of rebellion before they get to that landmark of their life.. Everyone must become a rebel for a while before they get to 18.. The passion and fervour that come with being a rebel will live with you forever, even after the rebellion itself subsides.. If you manage to ignite a flame of enthusiasm for a cause, any cause, in your youth, you are more likely to be able to find the energy and the stubbornness that you will invariably need when you have to face up to those demons that you will come across in your life-long battles...

Fourth, everybody must have a 'serious' hobby before we reach 18.. In fact, I think you must go through several hobbies during your formative years.. Once again, it is the passion and commitment that you develop when you are so serious about an activity, whatever it is, that I value so much.. Whether that hobby is a sporting one, an artistic one, or an utterly eccentric one, it matters not.. It is the passion.. the commitment.. the belief that you have a skill or a knowledge that no-one else possesses... Most of us outgrow our 'silly' hobbies, but the values that we amassed from practising those hobbies will stay with us forever.. I had a number of hobbies that have evolved and changed over the years.. I am not quite sure what I learnt from collecting drink bottle tops, but from stamp collecting as a child, I learned the value of history, the passion for the classic, and a deep sense of belonging.. from swimming and sports as a youth, I learned the importance of hard work and perseverance.. from photography, the value of observation, and the beauty of viewing matters from an unusual and different perspective.. and from reading, I learned, and continue to learn, most of what I know today...

Fifth, every self-respecting 18-year-old must be able to boast having broken a bone at some point in his or her earlier years... (OK, a bad sprain would be an acceptable alternative!..) Encountering pain is a very humbling experience, albeit a very unpleasant one!.. As youths, we might think we are invulnerable and indestructible.. Experiencing what will hopefully be a temporary incapacity will help us recognize our vulnerabilities and limitations, and allow us to empathize with those who are unfortunate enough to have permanent disabilities or long-lasting pain.. When I was 13, I broke a bone in my foot while playing football (I kicked the goalpost instead of the football!..).. It took me a couple of days to pluck up the courage to tell my dad, and several further days to convince him (a surgeon of some 20 years' experience at the time!..) that there was something wrong, and that I was not simply a whingeing wimp!.. I felt vindicated when the x-ray showed a fracture, but the smug smile was wiped off my face when I realized that I have to have a plaster cast for four weeks, during which I cannot wear proper shoes, or proper trousers.. I needed help with bathing, and could only walk, very slowly, with a stick!.. The experience certainly taught me a lot about myself, and made me look at the disabled with a sense of respect and admiration for their ability to face up to their misfortunes..

Finally, I think that, by the age of 18, everyone must have an idea (vague as it may be) about their general direction in life.. By that time in your life, you must have formed a general plan of where you are going.. otherwise, you are at risk of wandering aimlessly through life.. and a decade or two later, you suddenly realize that you are still wandering aimlessly through life!.. I am not suggesting that you should have made life-long commitments by that age.. far from it.. What I am saying is that you must have an aim by that stage.. a purpose.. a target.. You may (and most probably, you will) soon change it, and set your sight elsewhere, but if you do not have some sort of a plan at that point in your life, you (and probably those around you) are in for a bumpy ride!...

So, there you go, Abu Fares.. I do hope that my answers satisfy the conditions of the tag.. More importantly, I do hope that you would allow me special dispensation, and waive the requirement of tagging six other unsuspecting victims.. I have but few friends on the blogosphere, and I do not want to scare them away!..

Addendum: Is it too late to change my mind about tagging someone?.. I would like to tag Lujayn and Syrian in London...

The Greenhouse

2008-02-04T20:58:00.000Z

One of the nicest feelings one can experience is seeing the fruit of one's hard work...

Early last summer, some friends of ours decided to emigrate back to their home Country, Egypt, and they put their house on the market.

In their garden, they had a small, but rather pretty greenhouse, and my wife has always admired its elegant shape and understated appearance.. So, before they sell the house, we asked them if we could buy the greenhouse, but they insisted that we can simply 'have it'.. and despite all our insistence, they totally refused to accept any payment...

So, one Friday afternoon in June, I rented a small van, drove all the way to Burton-on-Trent where they lived, and spent a few hours carefully dismantling the delicate glass and hard wood structure.. Eventually, I managed to load all the bits and pieces in the van, and drove back home.. It was nearly dawn break before I got home..

Due to the bad weather we had most of the summer, and because I had so many other commitments at the time, my plans to build the greenhouse were put on the back-burner for a while...

When I returned from my trip to Damascus, I thought I'd better start with my little project.. First of all, I had to choose a spot in the garden.. and I found the ideal place: a sunny spot close to the vegetable patch, away from the large trees.. (Well.. in our garden, you can never get completely away from the large trees.. We have some 35 of them, some are over 80 years old!..)..

So, armed with my iPod...

...and a few basic tools...

.. I started to work..

I carefully measured and marked the area I had chosen..

and started digging the soil up..

...until I ended up with a big hole!..

Then, having ordered the chippings, the sand, and the flagstones in advance, I laid the edging blocks, and began filling the hole with one-and-a-half tonne of stone chippings, then one-tonne of sand..

Then, after firmly compacting the base, I laid the flagstones.. It took a whole weekend to do all that, but the result was quite pleasing..

The spot I had chosen was on an incline, so before I could erect the greenhouse, I had to build a new base to compensate for the gradient.. otherwise, the greenhouse would come up lopsided!.. Now that was not as easy a task as I thought.. Plenty of thought and planning went into it, and numerous measurements and calculations were needed.. laser pointers and multi-directional spirit levels were used to ensure that the base ended up absolutely level...

Then, it was time to face the most hateful task.. Before I could re-assemble the greenhouse, I need to CLEAN it!.. And, boy, was it filthy!!.. All the glass and wooden panels were covered with moss, dust, cobwebs, and God-Almighty gunge!!..

Each had to be individually scrubbed clean before I could even think of fitting them back together...

So, after several hours of cleaning and scrubbing, the panels were ready to be assembled..

I was a bit concerned that I might need another pair of hands to do it.. I could have easily recruited the help of a good friend of mine, but it would have meant waiting until both of us are free, and hoping that it would coincide with decent weather!!.. So, I thought I'd take my chances..

I had to wait for a spell of good weather.. I did not want to battle against the elements with no help!.. So, one sunny Saturday, I set about putting the structure together.. It did not take me long to get going, and within a few hours of steady, sustaied effort, the main frame of the greenhouse was erect, and I went on to assemble the roof.. Not wanting to waste the rare opportunity of the good weather, I carried on well after dark, and had to resort to using floodlights to iluminate the area...

It was after midnight before I finally stopped!.. After a hot shower, I collapsed in a heap, completely exhausted.. That night, I slept like I had not slept in ages!...

Next morning, I gave the woodwork a coat of paint.. White on the outside, and dark green on the inside (my wife's instructions, of course..).. Then, I fitted the worktops and shelves, and the roof was ready to be lifted on top of the frame.. But that I could not do on my own.. Well, you know the saying: 'The impossible: we do immedaitely. Miracles might take a short while!...'

So, I had to wait a couple of weeks until my son and daughter came home one weekend, and with their help, and with a few adjustments, the roof went on, and the structure was complete.. As a matter of fact, we had to do it in driving rain, simply because it would be several weeks before I can have them both at home again, with no guarantee that the weather would be any better, anyway..

In fact, in one stormy night, one of the sliding door panels was blown off while it was leaning against the wall, and the glass pane was shaterred..

It was not a major problem.. It took a quick trip to the local glazier and glass merchant, followed by a few minutes of work, and the panel was as good as new..

So, the Greenhouse is now up.. It's not big, but it is quite pretty.. Well, I think it is, anyway..

It took me nearly five months to finish it, but hey, it was a solo effort.. well, almost!.. Just think Michaelangelo and the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel!.. It took him four whole years to do it.. OK, his masterpiece was a little bit more elaborate than mine, but you get the picture!...

So, now the ball, as the saying goes, is in my court... It is up to me to ensure that the Greenhouse is used effectively.. Time and other commitments permitting, I will soon have it full of young plants, tender home-grown vegetables, and beautiful brightly-coloured flowers..

And when that happens, I will be back with some more pictures...

Memories of Dark Days...

2008-01-22T21:05:00.000Z

I am not really an avid fan of television.. I never was.. Nowadays, I only tend to watch the odd documentary, some interesting factual programme, or the (very) occasional movie..

Nonetheless, there was a particular drama that I have recently followed closely.. I did not get the opportunity to see the programme when it was first aired during Ramadan. Instead, I managed to catch the repeat, which has just ended..

Very few programmes have ever affected me like this one has.. very few have touched the innermost corners of my soul like this one has.. very few have ever forced me to travel back into those dark, haunted alleys of my memory, in the same manner that this particular one has..

'Messages of Love and War' is a powerful piece of drama, with excellent performances from most, if not all, of its characters.. from Abu Dhirar, the psychopathic, all-powerful, deviously-plotting army officer, so ably depicted by Salloum Haddad, to the pathetic, feeble drunken Fares, impressively portrayed by Rami Hanna.. Even the most minor and insignificant characters were so carefully cast and exquisitely performed..

But, as you might have guessed from the first paragraph, I am not here to write a critique of the show..

Apart from being a very power piece of work, 'Messages of Love and War' had, on me personally, a much more profound effect than that.. It jolted me back towards times I thought I had managed to bury in the deepest, most inaccessible recesses of my mind.. It evoked past experiences, so painful that I never wanted to recount them ever again.. It breathed life back into demons I thought were dead.. Long dead... But, boy, did they come flooding back!..

It took me back to Beirut during those dark, horrific days of the Israeli invasion of 1982.. Arguably the darkest period in Beirut's living memory, it was a period that, as much as I wished I had forgotten, as much as I realize now that I never will... The darkest few weeks in the City's turbulent history were depicted in a few episodes of this drama series, but the effect on me long outlasted those episodes.. In fact, that effect will, undoubtedly, stay with me for much longer than I would wish it to.. I very much suspect that these demons will continue to haunt me for a long, long time..

It brought back, so vividly, the incredibly tense atmosphere during the weeks leading to the invasion.. the sense that something truly horrid was about to befall the City and its people.. the sense of resignation that the invasion was inevitable.. the deep-seated belief that it was just a matter of 'when', rather than 'if'..

Then, when the invading Israeli army started moving into South Lebanon, that sense of uneasy anticipation was replaced by a subtle sense of wishful thinking, that, perhaps, it was going to be a limited campaign, with limited aims and targets.. It did not take long for most of us to realize that the Israelis had a different agenda...

And when the Israeli army laid siege over the City, fear and desperation replaced all senses and emotions.. Power and water supplies were cut off.. The stifling Beirut summer compounded the sense of doom.. For 71 long, hot, suffocating days, West Beirut was under fire from land, air and sea.. Repeated calls for a cease-fire were met by the American veto, because a cease-fire at that point in time, claimed the infamous Jeane Kirkpatrick (the US Ambassador to the UN), 'would not serve the purpose of long-lasting peace'... Yeah, right!... and watching the City and its inhabitants burn in Hell would!..

Then, the terms for a cease-fire were agreed, and the PLO fighters were evacuated from the City.. With the City deprived of any measure of defense, that old sense of unease returned.. Sabra and Chatila massacres on September 16th 1982, followed, very quickly, the assassination of Bashir Gemayel, the militia-leader-cum-President-Elect, on September 14th 1982..

The programme also portrayed the oppressive atmosphere that prevailed in Syria at that time.. the abuses of power.. the perversion of truth.. the suppression of descent.. all that was simply too close for comfort, as far as I was concerned... It was all too real for me.. too raw.. too painful...

I would be in front of the television, watching intently.. then suddenly I would break in cold sweat, when a particular event on the screen brings me in close contact with those beastly memories.. There were moments when I could smell the scent of blood and wounds.. when the smell of burning flesh was so overpowering... moments when I re-lived, so convincingly, some of the most traumatic experiences of my life...

When I first started watching 'Messages of Love and War', I was, naively, hoping that it would help me, once and for all, exorcise the demons of my experiences in '1982 Lebanon'... Instead, it brought those demons back to haunt me...

Come to think of it, the programme was simply a catalyst.. Those ancient scars had never healed in the first place... those demons were never dead.. they were simply sleeping...

In Pursuit of Knowledge?..

2007-12-22T01:12:00.000Z

What would I give to be young again!...

You may have met my little girl (well.. she is 21, and a graduate student, but she is still my little girl, OK?..).. Some of you have been so kind as to offer her help in the past..
As you may know, she studied World and Popular Music, and did her dissertation on Fairuz.. She is now doing a Masters in Music on the role of female performers in the Levantine (and particularly Syrian) music..
So, as part of her course work, she was asked to do some 'field work'.. She was tasked by her Tutor to go and spend a few weeks in Syria, researching the topic of her Masters project..
Kicking and screaming (yeah, right!..), she 'agreed' to go and spend the Christmas break in Damascus.. The declared aims of the visit: Firstly, to interview a number of music academics, and some performers, both professionals and amateurs, particularly female ones. Secondly, to get some feel, on the ground, of the role of female performers in the current and past musical scene in Syria..
(In actual fact, she was so excited about her trip, she was on 'Cloud 9' way before she boarded the plane ten days ago!..)
She is staying with my parents (and is getting spoiled rotten by them!..). My Mum, and my Dad, as well as several relatives, friends and contacts, have helped her arrange appointments with several eminent music academics, and key musical personalities in the Country.. Even in this short time, she managed to meet the Director of the Opera House in Damascus, as well as two or three musical historians and authors on the topic she is researching.. They have all been extremely helpful and supportive, and have provided her with masses of material, and many, many promises of more help.. She is awaiting some tentative attempts to get her in touch with some of the best-known quality female performers in Syria.. (So tentative are these promises, that I am not going to mention any names, until she does meet them.. then I can brag!..)..
Through sheer persistence and dogged single-mindedness, she managed to defeat the legendary bureaucracy and obtain a Library Card (to access the archives at the Assad Library) in less than an hour.. She was not going to be dissuaded by silly dismissal from some lazy, disinterested minion, who kept saying: 'Come back on the 26th!..'!!.. She just refused to accept 'no' for an answer.. The result: She got the Card, and accessed the Library... She obtained enough material to keep her busy during the Eid Holidays, and she will be back on the trail, once life returns to normality..
I have no doubt that her infectious youthful enthusiasm and endless radiant energy have been instrumental in making people want to help her.. After all, how can anyone refuse a request that has been put forward with such eagerness and zest?.. In fact, one of the academics whom she met was so excited about her project.. He said that, despite his prolific writings, he has never broached the topic she is studying with such depth and breadth.. He, not surprisingly, promised to do all he can to help her, and said that her work has inspired him to write a detailed piece on the subject...
Dana is working very hard to gather the material she needs, documenting everything on a voice recorder and a video camera. She is spending hours transcribing the recordings, referencing the video recordings, and wading through material from library archives, as well as the stuff she had been given by the people she met and interviewed.. Despite all that, she manages to make it sound like so much fun!... With her passion, verve and abundant vigor, she seems to be enjoying every minute of her time, despite all the endless hours of hard work and toil..
I guess that is the gift of youth..
Oh, what would I give to be young again!...

(Photo by SB: Ingleton, Cumbria)

Eid Mubarak

2007-12-19T13:20:00.000Z

I wish all my cyber-friends and cyber-family members a very Happy Eid Al-Adha..
I wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy and Prosperous New Year...

(Photo: Flower in my garden..)
P.s. I know it has nothing to do with Eid, Christmas, or the New Year.. I just thought it might add some colour to brighten up your day..

To Rear the Tender Thought...

2007-12-11T02:19:00.000Z

'Delightful task!
To rear the tender thought..
To teach the young..'

James Thomson, Scottish Poet, 1700-1748

I have, on a number of occasions, talked about my work.. You may remember my recounting the various stories of everyday-life that I encounter.. the momentous event, the tiny unexpected arrival, the chaotic day, or the controlled performance... I would hope that, through these posts, I have managed to convey to the reader how much I really enjoy what I do, and how passionate I am about it..
Mind you, I have not spoken yet about one of the most rewarding activities that I am involved in.. one of the most satisfying, most fulfilling aspects of my varied and diverse work.. the part of my work that I draw a lot of satisfaction from.. and that is teaching and training...
Don't get me wrong.. I do not aim to belittle any of the other activities I am involved in.. Saving a patient's life, reducing someone's suffering, or even simply imparting a few reassuring words to an anxious person, are all immensely rewarding and very worthwhile actions.. If I do any of those on any given day, I would feel fully satisfied and content.. but, somehow, teaching still gives me a sense of fulfillment that is hard to beat.. I guess it is the sense that I am helping shape the careers of these eager young minds, that gives me this feeling of profound contentment.. it is the hope that, by passing on my experiences, I am helping save the life of some future patient, who might need the skills of these young (and not-so-young) doctors, doctors-to-be, nurses, or paramedics..
Teaching in my field can take any of many varied forms.. from didactic classroom teaching, to informal 'shop-floor' teaching and supervision, to practical workshops and simulated scenarios..
Last week, I was teaching on an Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS®) Course, which encompasses most of those teaching modalities.. The Course was conceived back in the mid-seventies by an American orthopaedic surgeon who lamented the quality of care he and his family had received at a small hospital in the back of beyond, after his light aircraft crashed in a field in Nebraska. The Course has since developed into a global phenomenon, and is taught in more than 45 countries worldwide.. (However, the Royal College of Surgeons of England is the only institution outside the US, entrusted to run Instructor Courses.. Not a mean achievement, I assure you..)..
Trauma is often called 'the hidden epidemic'.. it kills the young and the active.. the 'typical' victims of trauma are usually the most productive elements in society.. Road crashes alone kill around 3,500 people, mostly young, every year in England and Wales alone.. Considering that 286 were killed in Lockerbie, the above figure represents more than a Lockerbie disaster every single month!... Can you imagine the headlines if a 747 falls out of the skies every month?!... But I digress...
So, back to the Course.. Its aim: to improve the care of trauma victims, and improve their chances of survival, and of returning to a meaningful, productive life.. what the Americans somewhat crudely refer to as 'tax-paying status'!..
It is run over a period of 2½ days.. These are long and tiring days.. tiring for both candidates and instructors alike.. We start at 8am each day, and finish anytime between 7 and 8pm, although we do finish at about 3pm on Day 3..
A series of lectures, punctuated by demonstrations, workshops, skill stations, and simulated patient scenarios, are delivered by a group of dedicated and experienced Instructors, who have been selected for their outstanding performance when they themselves attended the Course as candidates.

Instructors are not only selected for their knowledge and mastery of the subject matter, but also for their ability to communicate, support their fellow-candidates, and demonstrate that elusive ingredient that completes what is instinctively, but rather vaguely, perceived as a 'good teacher'...

A candidate being put through his paces..
(The 'casualty' is actually a Medical Student, made up to look the part!..)

I say 'dedicated', because most of us often end up doing these courses in our own time, and free of charge.. Can you imagine someone from Industry agreeing to give up three days of their own time for less than £2,000 and a five-star treatment?.. I think not!.. So, really, for 'dedicated Instructors', read 'bunch of mugs'!.. but hey, we love it!..
In the short time we spend on these courses, a kind of bond develops amongst the Instructors, as well as between them and the candidates.. We feel that our success as a faculty is reflected in the success of the candidates.. we only feel fulfilled and content if we accomplish our task: the imparting of knowledge.. the transfer of experiences.. and seeing that, come test time on Day 3, our 'trainees' are coping confidently and ably with anything that we throw at them, is worth to each of us a lot more than any payment..
Didn't I tell you we're a bunch of mugs?..

A Little Bite off the Apple...

2007-11-16T02:38:00.000Z

Finally, I did it..

I have been considering the move to the enigmatic Mac for a year or two.. and, at last, I did it.. A life-long Windows aficionado (and an MS-DOS enthusiast before that..), a few weeks ago, I plucked up the courage to abandon the comfort zone of the all-familiar PC and the relative convenience of Windows, in search of that elusive charm and flare that the Mac promised so persistently...

My first impression was 'Wow!..'.. my second, 'Wow, wee..'.. This is simply so cool.. so intuitive.. so user-friendly.. and so blooming fantastic.. visually as well as functionally... You might say it's a case of 'simple things fascinate simple folks'.. and, boy, am I fascinated!..

I cannot claim that I am already familiar with OS X.. I was just starting to scratch the surface of Tiger (OS X 10.4), when Leopard (OS X 10.5) was launched. I upgraded to it, and I was amazed all over again... It is going to take me a while before I can navigate my way through the maze of OS X before it becomes anywhere near as familiar as Windows has become for me.. but I am in no hurry, and I am enjoying the adventure already...

Oh, well.. I just thought I'd share that with you...

The Only Certainty

2007-10-14T02:38:00.000+01:00

On a personal level, the past few weeks have not been particularly good…

Ramadan started with some bad news.. My mother-in-law was taken ill.. She has been struggling with ill health for some time, and, on that occasion, she had a bit of a relapse. After a few worrying days, she improved, and settled back into her usual routine..

Then another bit of bad news.. My uncle (well, he is not exactly my blood uncle, but he is married to my maternal aunt, and is like my Uncle, OK?..), is one of the sharpest minds of his generation.. Without going into too much detail, and without giving too much away, I will only say that he had an illustrious career in education and public service.. Widely loved and respected by everyone who knows him, he is one of the nicest people you can ever wish to meet… He earned national and international acclaim as one of the leading authorities of the Arabic Language, and received the King Faisal International Prize in Arabic Literature.. In other words, he is an intellectual of some standing, and at the ripe old age of 86, he still goes to the office daily, and still works full time… Then one day, he wakes up, and he cannot recognise the pictures of his children.. He can barely recognise his wife.. She asks him to go and shave, but he does not know the meaning of the word ‘shave’… Now, how can a mind so sharp and so alert be reduced to the mental capacity of a 3-year-old overnight?!.. As is the case for my parents, all his children live abroad.. Thankfully, he is already showing signs of improvement, although, sadly, a complete recovery is unlikely…

Then the hardest news of all.. My mother-in-law was taken ill again.. this time, far more severely than any previous occasion.. She fails to improve on home treatment, and is admitted to hospital, then to Intensive Care.. After a brief period of deliberation, my wife decides to go home to be with her mother, and my eldest daughter insists on going with her.. She and Grandma have always had a very special relationship… Most regrettably, I could not go with them, as I have already used up my annual ‘allowance’ to visit home… Two days after their arrival, my mother-in-law passed away this morning.. on the first day of Eid…

Living away from home means that you constantly worry about close family members as they grow more frail and vulnerable.. You feel immense guilt for not being with your parents when they need you most.. You feel helpless and impotent when you find out that they are not well.. You question your life-long convictions.. You wonder about the validity of that decision you made when decided to make a life abroad..

You might argue that the ‘decision’ is not always yours.. that the ‘decision’ is sometimes made for you, and more or less, forced upon you.. You can try and find mitigating circumstances.. You can try and justify your absence by telling yourself that you do it for your children.. or for peace of mind.. or for stability and security.. or for professional fulfilment.. Sound and legitimate as your argument might be, it does not make the pain any less intense, or the guilt any less profound...

No matter how expected, when death of a loved one comes, it strikes without mercy.. No matter how expected, it is always painful.. even when death means deliverance from pain or suffering, it is still very hard on those left behind.. because with life, there is hope.. one keeps hoping against all the odds, that something can be done to avert that inevitable fate.. but death is so final.. so absolute.. so irreversible…

Death, it seems, is the only certainty in Life...

(Picture: Painting by Asmaa Fayyoumi, Syrian Artist)

How Many More???...

2007-10-11T23:00:00.000+01:00

'Collateral Damage???...

Welcome Back, Darling..

2007-08-29T23:34:00.000+01:00

Just in case you're wondering why I am walking around with a big smile on my face.. well, it's because my wife has just returned from Damascus..

She and the twins stayed behind, and they returned yesterday...

Got to go.. so much to catch up on..

An Unstoppable Juggernaut.. or a Frightened Little Mouse?..

2007-08-24T01:59:00.000+01:00

The juggernaut of tyranny continues its wretched march.. crushing everything that comes in its way..

In every part of the Middle East, freedom of thought, and freedom of expression, are being trampled upon by Regimes that seem to have developed a growing sense of invincibility..

Yazan, in his intelligent and very interesting blog, reminds us all, with dogged determination and unrelenting perseverance that puts us all to shame, of the plight of those brave souls, who are suffering the heavy tread of the oppressive, barbaric boot of these tyrannical regimes...

Here's what Yazan had to say...

Freedom of Speech, Massacred and dragged through the streets of the Middle East

What is happening in the Arab World is scary.

Reading this, made me go into real melancholy.

And the fact that there was absolutely no publicity about it makes it even more painful. Why do we have to be so selective in what we chose to fight for. Why was Kareem on almost every single blog, all through his trial, and sentence. While I struggled to find any mention of Mohamed Rashed al-Shohhi's case. And was it not for Amira slipping me a link to this small roundup from Sami Ben Gharbia on GlobalVoices I would not have even heard about it.

While Egyptian blogger Kareem was on trial because of things he chose to write, Mohamed is sentenced to 1 year in prison and $13,600 fine for an anonymous comment on an online forum he happened to run. [You think there might be a connection with the decision to ban comments on Syrian sites earlier this month?! Hmmm...].

Mohamed is in prison, and he literally did not do ANYTHING.

It is not a blow at freedom of speech. No, this a serious well-planned decision that can only be described as mental-terrorism. This is not aimed to keep him from practicing his right to express himself (Again, the guy did not do anything), rather this is a warning to anyone who might even think of raising a voice. Whether against totalitarianism, corruption or repression... all of them are a common characteristic of our Arab World.

Again, in a very similar case, Kuwaiti blogger Bashar Al-Sayegh was arrested [He was released today] yesterday for an anonymous comment left on his forum.

If you read this, please help spread the word. Let's not be selective in what we chose to rally for.

The latest chunk of news coming from our Middle East does not look good.

Blogspot is still banned in Syria, contrary to earlier reports about the ban being lifted.

By decision from the Ministry of Communication, anonymous comments of Syrian sites are now illegal.

Wordpress is banned in Turkey.UAE imprisons a webmaster and suspends the website over anonymous comments on his forum.

Kuwait detains a blogger over anonymous comments on his forum.

And, Egypt, Tunisia... Where to start exactly?!

By Yazan Bardan

While Yazan talks about the Middle East as a whole, I believe that the excesses of the Syrian Regime deserve a special mention.. Their vindictiveness seems to know no bounds, and here's an example..

Riad Seif is a former independent Member of the People's Assembly (a pathetic and impotent institution, supposedly functioning as a Parliment) is a vocal opponent of the Regime. He has only recently been released from prison. His release only came after mounting pressure form Amnesty International and other Human Rights oraganizations, that have persisted to highlight the plight of Mr. Seif and his fellow Prisoners of Conscience. Of particular concern was his ill health, which was certainly not helped by his repeated imprisonment.

Even after his release from prison, Mr. Seif does not seem to escape the harsh and vindictive whims of the Syrian Regime. Mr. Seif has recently been diagnosed with prostatic cancer, and wanted to travel abroad for treatment, but his application was rejected. Here is an English translation of a statement that Mr. Seif has produced recently (Thank you, Maureen!..): (Regrettably, I do not have the original Arabic text. Help, anyone?..)

Riad Seif: A statement to the public regarding the prevention of my travel for medical treatment

More than two months after medical examinations and tests established that I have an advanced stage of prostate cancer, and after ascertaining that the necessary and viable treatment for such a situation is not available in Syria while it is available in some developed countries with the possibility of successful treatment as high as 90%, I submitted a request to travel for treatment outside the country to the Syrian authorities. So far, all of my attempts have failed and I have received nothing from the security authorities but delays and postponements, despite the advanced stage of the disease and fears that it might metastasize to other parts of my body.

I was subjected to a similar ordeal previously during my time in prison, when the coronary angiogram I had on 2/7/2005 showed an occlusion of the left anterior descending coronary artery, which required open-heart surgery to bypass the occlusion. After I was released on 1/18/2006, I filed a request to leave the country so that I could conduct the necessary surgical work, but this request was also denied.

Now that I have run out of options, I can find no alternative but to present my state of health to all those who are interested in human rights issues in Syria and in the world, with the hope that I will procure assistance in obtaining my natural and legitimate right to receive necessary treatment abroad that could let me spend the rest of my life in a natural way.

Damascus 13/8/2007

One has to wonder.. Why would an all-powerful Regime who proclaims unwavering public support, and an eternal and perpetual right to rule unchallenged, pursue and bully these individuals?.. To my simple mind, there is an obvious reason why the Regime continues with its relentless campaign against those who oppose it.. It is because the Regime, despite its might and its apparent invincibility, fears those brave and intelligent voices.. The Regime is scared of these individuals and of their actions.. the ripples caused by their activities threaten to shake the very foundation of this rotten and corrupt Regime..

Perhaps, after all, that juggernaut of tyranny is no more than a frightened little mouse..

Two-weeks' worth of memories...

2007-08-15T01:39:00.000+01:00

All good things come to an end. Good holidays are no exception..

I flew back from Damascus on Tuesday, August 7th, but this is the first time I get a real opportunity to sit down and write about my two-week trip.

I went back to work on Thursday to find 172 e-mails, and a pile of letters half-way up to the ceiling.. all waiting for me to read and respond to.

The weekend came and went like a flash.. On Sunday, I had a 15-hour journey to the Capital.. four-hour drive to London, five-hour meeting, then a six-hour drive back up to Lancashire. I am sure you can forgive me for not being able to write anything yet.

But that's all behind me. I am now sitting trying to get my thoughts together even if it is half past midnight..

Let me start by saying that we had the most awesome time. My brother and sister came over from the US, and my parents were simply overjoyed to see us all. We celebrated my twins' 21st Birthday while we were there, and we decided to celebrate Mum's seventieth Birthday since we were all gathered together.. even though it was a couple of months too soon!.. We went to countless dinners and lunches and feasts and gatherings.. and each left us with such delightful memories.. We so wished that we had the time to see more people.. more friends, old and new.. In fact, one thing I truly regret was that we could not accept Abu Fares's invitation to visit him in Tartous.. but, alas, time was very limited..

Nevertheless, my children managed to squeeze in a two-day trip to Petra with my sister and her family, and they absolutely loved it... (I couldn’t go.. I am only allowed a single entry to Syria every year)..

The girls had a wonderful time (as they always do) exploring the Old City, with its bazaars, souks, and delightful little shops..

They went to the Grand Umayyad Mosque, admiring its grandeur and beauty..

Like an annual pilgrimage, they walked through the alleys and narrow streets of the Old City.. getting lost, but quickly finding their way when they see a familiar shop or some other landmark..

I could easily bore you with a blow-by-blow account of my two weeks in Damascus.. However, I thought it would probably be better to talk about a few things that caught my attention..

As I said in my earlier post, Damascus never fails to amaze me with how much things can change.. I should say, however, that no matter how much things change, they still seem to remain the same!..

Undoubtedly, some of the changes are simply a natural progression of what things were two years ago. However, there are some obvious developments that I have noticed for the first time..

Our flight to Damascus was uneventful.. We travelled by SyrianAir. We knew in advance that the service is not exactly Five-Star!.. Nevertheless, it certainly has a very distinct advantage: it is the only airline that operates direct flights from Manchester to Damascus.. It will get us home in four-and-a-half hours, and no-one can beat that!..

Within 45 minutes from arrival, we were on our way towards the City. Soon afterwards, we were snaking our way through the legendary Damascus traffic. That is always the first thing you notice.. It has gone significantly worse since I have been there last time. My brother-in-law blamed the increase in car imports, and the lack of any new projects to ease the congestion in the Capital.. Clearly, this is a universal problem.. Driving through London two days ago, even though it was a Sunday, was certainly no picnic!.. Nevertheless, driving in Damascus is not for the faint-hearted.. It is a death-wish.. It's everybody to himself in that jungle!.. Mind you, walking in Damascus is almost just as fraught!.. One afternoon, my wife, my daughter, and I thought we'd go for a walk into town!.. What a silly idea!.. All the sidewalks and footpaths are occupied by parked cars, and you end up being forced to walk in the middle of the street, risking life and limb in the process!.. However, apart from the shear volume of traffic, and the way people drive, one thing that really amazed me in Damascus was how drivers totally ignore the poor traffic policemen!..

I was struck by how many people smoke in Damascus.. It is a filthy habit that seems to traverse social divides and seems to afflict every level of Society.. I found it difficult to understand how people, especially the young and the affluent, still equate smoking with being suave and sophisticated... People smoke anytime and anywhere.. in cars, in offices, in restaurants.. before food, with food, after food.. with coffee, with tea, or with a glass of arak or whiskey.. They smoke when angry, and they smoke when happy.. when anxious, or when relaxed.. I particularly found the proliferation of the trend to smoke argheeleh in restaurants quite disturbing, especially with the number of young people getting hooked..

On one of our excursions around the City, a friend of mine pointed out the open-air market known as 'Souk el-7haramieh' , where 'second-hand' goods are bought and sold openly.. (for 'second-hand', read 'stolen').. Now I ask you, how many cities around the World can boast having a whole market known as The Thieves' Market?!...

There are clear signs of 'new money' in Town.. The abundance of smart shops selling designer goods.. the flashy new cars.. the imposing hotels and towering plush office buildings.. the large bright new Shopping Malls.. the countless vast restaurants that are ALWAYS full to the rim!.. (Isn't it amazing how all activities, social, commercial, and even political, in Damascus revolve around eating?..). However, one cannot help but wonder whether this apparent 'affluence' is true, or is it just a thin veneer, camouflaging a very ugly truth of masked unemployment, abject poverty, and an insatiable need to show off..

Speaking of large shiny Shopping Malls, we went for a snack in a café at the new Sham Centre.. How impressive!.. Spotlessly clean, with uniformed staff constantly going round ensuring cleanliness.. Beautiful shops, with many selling very expensive designer goods.. Palm trees, and smart cafés.. It is noteworthy, however, that while the walkways and passages of the Mall were very busy, the shops were not!.. In some shops, shop assistants vastly outnumbered the shoppers!.. Nevertheless, I found it very interesting that this was the only place I came across that has a 'No Smoking' policy.. Now, I think this is very encouraging.. Mind you, with some disappointment, I note that amongst all those smart and elegant shops, there was not a single bookshop.. I wonder what does that say about us as a community?..

There was one particular change that truly shocked me.. I simply could not get over the re‑emergence of the personality worship.. and it was so 'in-your-face'.. The omnipresence of the President.. everywhere you look. Larger-than-life images of his smiling face, the shepherd overlooking his flock, reassuring them that he is there to stay, and they'd better get used to it!.. I must say, I found it quite nauseating how some slogans were written in, allegedly, colloquial terms, seeming to suggest spontaneity and truthfulness!...

Another aspect that really saddened me was the sense of resignation amongst the intellectual elite.. Those who once were the focus of our hopes and ambitions have turned into a bunch demoralised, disenfranchised, and disaffected individuals.. The spark has gone off from their eyes.. the flames of their passion and enthusiasm has been cruelly snuffed out…

You will not be surprised to know that corruption is alive and well.. and thriving!.. It has now reached areas that were previously thought to be protected.. A well-connected friend of mine recounted a story about some controversial, highly-experimental treatments for a rare and uncommon condition, being approved for trials by the Ministry of Health in the name of encouraging ‘international research activities’, in return for substantial backhanders from drug companies for Ministry officials.. and when my friend requested funding to purchase some essential, well-proven, but expensive, life-saving treatment (for Hepatitis B, which is rampant in the Country) for a Government hospital he works for, he was shrugged off, and his request rejected for lack of funds… Mmmm.. Quite a worrying development, don’t you think?..

I went to the National Museum in Damascus with my three children.. I have not been there since I was a schoolboy in shorts!.. On the one hand, I was delighted and very impressed by the richness of the displays and the immense historical value of the treasures contained in it.. On the other hand, I was distressed and deeply upset by the state of neglect some of these treasures were in.. Some displays have been removed by members of Staff, and a small, hand‑written ‘Post-it’ note left behind to state the whereabouts of some invaluable, irreplaceable piece of history!.. Notes like ‘On loan to the Curator’s Display’.. or ‘Loaned to such-and-such Museum’.. I wonder how many of these ‘on loan’ artefacts find their way back to their display cabinets!… My daughter noted that various items were described wrongly, while others had no description whatsoever.. She was incensed by the fact that information written in Arabic contradicted what was written in English, and, rightly, felt that this showed complete disrespect to the artefacts, as well as to the visitors’ intelligence!..

Amongst those I met in Damascus, there was an overwhelming sense of ‘something big is about to happen’… People were apprehensively anticipating some cataclysmic event that will change the shape of the Region.. Some people were absolutely adamant that war with Israel was both imminent and inevitable. They cite the alleged increasing intransigence and isolation of the emboldened Regime, as well as rumoured purchases of arms (including possible nuclear warheads) from some relics of the former USSR, bought in the aftermath of the break-up of the Soviet Union.. Proponent of this theory assure you that you should not be deceived by the apparent state of disarray in the Syrian Army.. they talk of elite troops, trained to highest standards, and equipped with the most up-to-date arsenal.. To my simple mind, signs of the Regime being emboldened are abundant, but signs of its isolation were, on the surface at least, notably lacking.. but nuclear weapons in the hands of the Syrian military?.. Now, that’s a sobering thought!..

Others seem to bet on the ‘Peace Option’.. Some people feel that, as Bush starts his ride into the political sunset, he, and his Republican Party, are eager to do something substantial, to distract from the unholy mess they have created in the Region and around the World.. Bush, as this theory goes, must try and make some significant achievement before he leaves the Oval Office. Otherwise, the Republican Party will be consigned to political wilderness for a generation… He must, at least, be seen to be trying to leave a legacy of some significance.. and there is no bigger prize than a lasting peace in the Middle East.. Now, to my simple mind again, better and wiser people have tried and failed!.. And what’s more, the most basic elements required for the success of such a notion are not in place.. things like fairness and equal respect to all parties involved.. things like credibility and trustworthiness…

But rest assured.. Whatever it is people are fearing, you will be delighted to know that the lingerie industry in Syria is alive and well…

My two weeks in Damascus flew past like two minutes.. However, the beautiful memories I accumulated are worth a lifetime.. every little detail of every moment is alive in my mind.. just like the love of the Old City is forever alive in my heart...

Homeward Bound

2007-07-21T23:25:00.000+01:00

It is finally happening.. Within 72 hours, we will be heading to Damascus..

A few weeks ago, I received that precious piece of paper from the Embassy, giving me permission to visit my Country..

I am particularly excited about going to Damascus this year, because my brother, my sister, and her family will also be coming from the States.. It would be the first time the whole family met together since everybody assembled in our humble abode four years ago, to celebrate my father's eightieth Birthday..

It will be far from a restful holiday.. In fact, it will be diabolically hectic.. Nevertheless, I have no doubt that we will all love every minute of it!.. We will be trying hopelessly (but failing miserably) to keep friends and relatives happy.. There just aren't enough hours in the day, or enough days in two weeks, to accept every invitation for breakfast, lunch, dinner, night-out, or day-trip that we will invariably be invited to... I just hope that I can tactfully convince all those lovely, well-meaning people that it is actually physically impossible to do that..

Apart from all the self-indulgence, the great food, and the delightful company, I am looking forward to seeing the City again.. Damascus never fails to surprise me.. It never fails to amaze me how so much can change in two years.. Unfortunately, not all change is for the better, and often I return so deeply saddened but what I have seen..

Despite that, I will hopefully come back with more precious memories, invaluable experiences, and unmissable moments to cherish forever... What I will definitely come back with is excess weight around my waist, that I will struggle to shed over the coming months.. but hey.. it will definitely be worth it...

(Photo: Abu Rummaneh St., Damascus. Source: www.damascus-online.com)

A Day to Be Proud

2007-07-13T02:46:00.000+01:00

Wednesday July 11th 2007, was, for me, a day to feel proud..

It was a day that every father dreams about and lives for..

Dana, my beautiful, talented, sweet little girl, graduated from Leeds University... She now holds a BA in World and Popular Music..

We travelled that morning to Leeds. She has been there from the previous day, preparing with her friends and fellow graduands for their collective big day...

When we got to her house, she met us at the front door, looking radiant.. She was happy and self-assured, and in her usual way, bubbly, excited, and full of beans!..

She led the way in the short walk through Leeds's famous Hyde Park to the University, walking ahead of us with her elder sister. Her twin brother met us at the University. He also studies in Leeds, doing Medicine. He had asked to be excused from his tutorial to join us, and be with his sister on this memorable day. The sight of the three of them together completed our sense of pride, and filled our hearts with immense pleasure and deep contentment.. They are our most valuable asset.. our most gratifying achievement..

She then went to collect her graduation gown. When I saw her emerging from the dressing room in her gown, I felt a lump in my throat.. She looked so grown-up.. so confident.. so, so beautiful...

Dana, on the Parkinson Steps, Leeds Umiversity

The Graduation Ceremony was delightful. A nice congratulatory speech from the Pro Vice Chancellor, followed by the Conferment of the Degrees. Each graduand was called by name, and was handed his or her certificate, to the applaud of the audience.. At that point, the 'graduand' is transformed to 'a graduate'.. and what a moment in their young life this is..

The two sisters

Dana has worked very hard for this moment. She has put a lot of time, effort, tears, anxious days and sleepless nights to get the results she aspired to. She achieved an impressive and truly deserved Higher Second Class Honours (known as a 'two-one'). Even more impressively, she got First Class Honours for her dissertation, which many of you have so kindly contributed to, when you responded to her questionnaire about the Fairuz... (Alright.. alright.. so you too deserve some of the credit!..).

Dana is going to do a Masters degree.. I am so proud to say that she has chosen to do her dissertation on Middle Eastern Music, although the exact topic is yet to be determined.. some of the options she is considering include Fairuz (too large for a Masters.. more like PhD material..), or Folk Music of the Levant (a largely untapped subject, with a good opportunity to come up with some truly original work..).. However, whichever topic she chooses, her choice would be an indication of her deep-seated sense of belonging, and an unmistakable expression of her pride of her roots...

My pride and joy...

More importantly, whichever topic she chooses, and whichever career path she follows, with her delightful sense of humour, her unique personality, and her considerable drive and determination, Dana will continue to radiate optimism, happiness, and vitality around her.. and will continue to make me a very proud Dad.. very proud indeed...

What is happening in Palestine?..

2007-06-15T23:53:00.000+01:00

One of my colleagues, an enlightened, well-read, open-minded, inquisitive Englishman, asked me today: "What is happening in Palestine?..".. I paused, and thought to myself: "Yeah.. What the f*** is happening in Palestine?!!..."

What possible explanation can I give him?.. How can I tell him that they seem to have taken complete leave of their senses in Palestine?.. How can I justify the killings?.. The cruelty that Palestinian is inflicting on Palestinian?.. The destruction to everything resembling an infrastructure, not by the hands of the Israelis, but by the hands of Palestinians?..

How can I say to my enlightened, well-read, open-minded, inquisitive colleague that this is the curse of the Middle East?.. that back there, if your enemy does not succeed in killing you, then your brother will... That Palestinians, and Arabs in general, do not need Israel to persecute, kill, torture and humiliate them.. we can do it to each other far more effectively than any one else can!..

How can I insult his intelligence and say: 'It is all the fault of interference by the Zionists, and meddling by the Western governments?...'

Or should I tell him what today seems to be the painful truth?.. that, perhaps, we, the mighty Arabs, are not fit to govern ourselves?... that we are not capable of talking to each other?.. that the word 'discussion' in our deranged lingo has come to mean 'beating the living daylight out of your opponent'?.. that 'victory' means killing everyone who does not share your narrow views of the World?.. including your own mother, if necessary?..

Call me defeatist, but on this occasion, I simply looked at him and said: 'My friend.. it is complete meltdown..'.. I then walked away, trying to hide a small tear in the corner of my eye...

(Photo: Chaos in Gaza. Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk)

A Simple Argument in a Complex Subject

2007-05-31T12:30:00.000+01:00

Those of you who are familiar with the Syrian blogoshpere would probably have come across Creative Syria, and may have come across Alex, the creator of that fantastic website.. You may even have crossed swards with him (like I have.. on many occasions..) on the various issues discussed on Syrian blogs.. Whether you agree with his views or not, you cannot but admire his passion, his wit, and his highly intellectual debating abilities..

In a recent discussion about the fortieth anniversary of the 1967 War on my all-time favourite Syrian blog, Mosaics, Alex proposed that he would creat a website (or rather, an annex to his existing website), to be a platform to debate the various issues, including that of the Golan Heights.. and he did.. In line with the high standards that you would expect from Alex, he created a fantastic forum for the Syrian bloggers to launch debates and discussions..
In the first topic for debate, he wanted everyone to write an open letter to an Israeli reader, stating why we believe Israel should return the Golan Heights to Syria.. and the responses were simply fascinating...

Today, I have submitted my letter, and I thought I would share it with you.. (but I would strongly recommend you browse through the rest of the submissions on the Golan Heights, which are infinitely more articulate and a lot more intelligently written than anything I can ever pretend to come up with...)

Anyway, here is my two-pennies' worth:

A letter to an Israeli..
Why should Israel return the Golan Heights back to Syria?..

Greetings,

Alex, a very intelligent, articulate and highly educated cyber-friend, has suggested, on the occasion of the fortieth anniversary of the loss of the Golan Heights to Israel, that we Syrians should try and put our case to you Israelis, on why your Country/Government/People should hand back the Golan Heights to Syria…

This proposal was taken up by several equally intelligent, articulate and highly educated Syrians from all walks of life.. Some of the letters are posted on the very impressive website ‘Creative Syria’, that Alex has masterminded and so professionally executed.

Now, I do not claim any specialist knowledge in international law, politics, economics, history, or sociology.. If you want a glossy, highly polished answer to Alex’s question, then read George Ajjan’s response.. and for a logical, robustly-argued statement, read Camille’s (a.k.a. Alex) own offering..

Some commentators gave historic accounts, while others pointed out potential future benefits.. Some spoke of economics, others of strategic reasons.. I am sure that each offers a perfectly valid reason why Israel should return the Golan Heights to Syria..

Well.. I am a simple-minded fellow, with (I believe) a reasonable measure of decency and commonsense.. I do not possess the intelligence, sophistication, or specialist knowledge demonstrated by my compatriots (of whom I am immensely proud, I hasten to add!..).. For me, there is a simple reason why the Golan Heights should be handed back to Syria.. So how about justice, or good old common decency for a reason?..

The Golan (or the Jolan, as we prefer to call it!..) is, historically, geographically, demographically and every-other-reason-ically, Syrian.. Israel acquired it in a war that was waged purely for this purpose.. the acquisition of land.. You have held on to it for forty years, but it is still ours.. It is, and will always be, Syrian.. The fact that it has been in your hands for forty years does not make it yours.. It does not make the occupation and annexation legitimate, nor morally right..

I am not so naive as to believe that Israel would simply return the Jolan just because it is ‘the right thing to do’.. I am a pragmatist, and a realist.. Nevertheless, I really believe that, from a purely moral point of view, Israel should hand the Jolan back to Syria.. and what’s more, I also believe that although all the reasons elaborated upon by my fellow-responders are legitimate and sound, these reasons would be worthless if they did not have the moral foundation…

If Israel is truly serious about its declared intentions for a peaceful settlement, then it must show a degree of respect towards its northernly neighbour.. and that starts by returning to Syria what is rightfully hers..

Sincerely yours,

The Syrian Brit

(Photo: The Golan Heights. Source: http://www.atpm.com/)

50

2007-05-13T23:26:00.000+01:00

Well, my friends.. I made it!!..

Today, I turned 50..

Half a century on the surface of this Earth... Whether this is as significant a landmark as some might want to make it, is matter of contention for me..

For one, I do not feel any different today from what I was yesterday.. nor what I was a year ago.. Nevertheless, I guess it is an opportunity to pause and take stock..

It all started one spring day, fifty years ago, in Damascus.. My parents have been married for just under 9 months (Yes.. I was a Wedding-day baby!..).. My Mum was desperately worried that my arrival will coincide with her final-year exams, and completely ruin her chances of graduating from University that year.. However, being a considerate soul, at a great risk to my personal safety, I decided to come to this World a couple of weeks too soon, much the delight of my mother.. This way, Mum would have the time to get over the trauma of my greatly anticipated arrival, and still have time to get back in shape to pass her finals!.. And so it was..

My childhood was happy and fulfilled.. My parents, both working, have instilled in me the importance of education, and the value of honest, hard work and perseverance.. They taught me, more by example than by instruction, that if anything is worth having, then it is worth working for..

My brother, four years younger than me, and my sister, eleven years my junior, both made my formative years that much richer and that much more enjoyable.. Both continue to be a constant source of inspiration, support and friendship..

I battled my way through schools and University, got married shortly after I qualified, and the long, hard struggle we call 'Life' goes on.. My eldest daughter was born 16 months later, while I was working in Beirut.. Later on, the raging Civil War, and the Israeli invasion of 1982, force us to leave Lebanon.. and life takes us back to Damascus for while, then to Britain, after a brief and unsuccessful attempt to find training in the States.. Our twins, now nearly 21, were born after we moved to the UK...

After numerous ups and downs, and after a few more battles, from which I bear many a scar, I got to where I am today..

So, what have I got to show for my 50 years?.. What have I actually achieved??.. and what have I learnt?.. Do I have any regrets?.. Are there things I wish I hadn't done?.. and perhaps, on a more positive note, what should my targets be for the coming years??...

Professionally, I am pleased to say that I am both content and proud of what I have achieved.. I, even if I say so myself, am a respected and well-regarded practitioner in a complex and challenging field, working in a Department that is widely believed to be the best in the Region, and arguably in the Country.. I teach on various Speciality courses, locally, regionally, and nationally, and I examine on the Royal College exams in our Speciality.. Not bad for someone who, after all, is an outsider!..

On a personal level, I am, undoubtedly, the luckiest man alive... I have a beautiful loving wife, three bright, hard-working, and high-achieving children, and I have my health and my sanity (although many would argue about the latter!..).. I ask you, what more could a man ask for?...

But, surely, there must be some regrets?.. Some things I would like to have done differently?.. Some targets that I wanted to achieve, but failed?.. You're damn right there are!..

I, for example, would have loved to be solvent by the age of fifty!.. I would have loved to have paid up my mortgage!.. but, alas, that was not to be.. With three children in University, I guess I will have to work till I am seventy to keep up with the payments!..

Which brings me to the other unfulfilled target.. I would have loved to have my retirement plans completely in order by the time I reached fifty.. Mind you, I have always known that I am not exactly the most organised man on the Planet.. Leaving things to the last minute has always been my style!..

Regrets?.. Well.. Ever since I was in Third Form, I have regretted calling that bully, Hassan Kalthoum, 'an idiot' to his face!.. I can still feel the painful fat lip, and I can still taste the blood in my mouth!.. Mind you, that experience does not seem to have taught me much!.. I still stand up to bullies, and I still, on occasions, get a bloody nose for my efforts!..

I regret wasting so much time of my life trying to get training in the States.. I was chasing a mirage, and I should have known it at the time.. even if it wasn't that obvious then.. But hindsight is a wonderful thing, isn't it?!..

I regret buying that second-hand Ford Sierra Estate in 1987, from that Fredo Corleone lookalike.. If there ever was a car that can be described as a 'lemon', then it was that one!..

I very much regret not learning German or French, and regret not persevering with my early attempts to learn playing a musical instrument... I still hope that, one day, I will learn to play the saxophone, and I have not quite given up on French or German...

Anyway.. here I am.. Fifty, but not over the hill.. at least, not that I would admit it... I am, in fact, fitter than I was two or three years ago.. I have overcome my lumbar disc prolapse, and my back pain.. I now work out regularly, running up to six miles twice a week.. I have managed to regain my fitness, and return to my ideal weight.. well, almost... My efforts to reach that particular target were comprehensively thwarted by the most amazing feast that my wife had prepared yesterday, when she invited a few of our friends over...

And I tell you something, it was worth going through 50 years of 'life', just to be rewarded with that delightful food!...

Held at ransom...

2007-05-08T08:40:00.000+01:00

What a disappointment...

In the beginning, it was joyful disbelief.. President Assad has signed the long-awaited decree, regulating the Compulsory Military Service for Syrian adult males.. At long last, I might just be able to visit MY Country, unhindered and unrestricted.. According to the old regulations, I was still liable to be drafted for Military Service until the age of 52!.. (What good would an old fart like me be in the Army, I ask you?!..).. Until then, every time I wanted to visit home, I have to apply through the Syrian Embassy for a special permit.. some months in advance.. You have to plan it carefully, and rely on a lot of luck!.. You are never sure how long it takes for the reply to come back.. the permit 'entitles' you to visit the Country for up to one month every year, and is valid for three months.. Request it too early, and you run the risk of the permit expiring before you leave the Country!..

So, I have been waiting impatiently for that day (in just over 2 years.. but more on that soon!..), when I can pay the 50,000 Syrian Pounds (about $1,000), the fee for closing my file.. After that, I would be free to visit MY Country, without any hassle or harassment, and without the long anxious wait for the permission to be issued..

So, you can probably imagine my delight when I heard that the maximum age for drafting has been dropped to 42.. That's it.. I am free.. All I have to do is pay the damn $1,000...

But wait!.. Just read on before you start the celebrations, I thought... What's this?..

Yes, they have dropped the maximum drafting age to 42, but raised the fee to 250,000 SP ($5,000).. which is the same amount that ANY University Graduate who has lived abroad for more than four years would have to pay for exemption!...

So, this long wait has all been in vain... The years I have been waiting for my reprieve are all a waste.. I still have to pay a substantial sum of my hard-earned money for the privilege of visiting MY Country...

Now, you might say $5,000 is not too high a price to pay for the freedom to visit one's Country.. You might even say that us ex-pats are rolling in money that someone like me wouldn't even miss a puny $5,000... Well, you would be wrong on both counts...

The charge of $5,000 (or even the former charge of $1,000) is not simply an administrative fee... It is ransom money.. it is blackmail money... pure and simple.. I accept that, in the great scheme of things, $5,000 would not necessarily break me financially.. but I would not go as far as saying I can simply pull that kind of money out of my back pocket.. (I wish I could say 'Money is no object'. Frankly, money will always be an issue as long as I have to work for it..). And while I could probably afford to pay the charge, it would mean that something else I was planning to pay for would have to wait...

But all that is really not important.. What is important here is a principle..

I don't want to start a discussion about the value (or lack thereof) of conscription as a method to build an army, but my belief is that a professional army, made of well-motivated and well-trained individuals is, by far, the best option..

The idea that one should be made to pay this charge (almost regardless of its amount) is inherently wrong.. It should be within anyone's right to visit one's own Country, and no-one should have the ability to deprive me from that right...

The Compulsory Military Service has become yet another method to blackmail and oppress the population.. yet another issue to keep the young and eager minds preoccupied and diverted away from questioning the status quo.. yet another reason why young Syrians, in their droves, are abandoning the Country..

And what's more, influential players, within the Army and within the Regime inner sanctum, have been charging extortionist bribes from desperate young men to secure them an exemption from conscription, or guarantee a cushy and comfortable Compulsory Military Service..

The Compulsory Military Service is two years wasted in the life of any adult Syrian male.. Two years during the most productive phase in anyone's life.. almost totally wasted... and before you dredge out that old chestnut of 'our duty in defending our Country' and all that, anyone who's done his time as an Army Conscript would tell you that Compulsory Military Service is not designed for that.. It is designed to break the soul and spirit of recruits, young and old, and destroy any self-respect they might still have..

I can rant on about this forever.. At the end of the day, against my better judgement, and against my principles, I will probably end up paying the ransom.. You see, I have two aging parents back home.. I would really like to be able to visit at a very short notice, should I need to..

(Picture: 'Despair' by 'booga'. Source: www.phirebrush.com)

In Solidarity with our Prisoners of Conscience

2007-05-04T08:24:00.000+01:00

Fares, my cyberfriend and fellow Syrian blogger has asked me to re-post his latest offering. I am delighted to be able to oblige.

Thank you, Fares, for all you are doing.. I wish we had more of a notice about this.. I would have re-arranged previous commitments and gone to London in person... but I am there in spirit..

Fares says:

I got this message from Maureen of Amnesty International. Please repost in your blogs to give it more publicity. Every support no matter how small counts.

Hello,

In the light of the prison sentence given to Anwar al-Bunni at the end of last month and the probable sentencing of Michel Kilo tomorrow [I think it is may 7] and Kamal al-Labwani on 10th May, Amnesty International are calling for a Day of Action in protest on 9th and/or 10th May. These will take place in various countries. They are also supported by Human Rights Watch and Human Rights First.

In London there will be a peaceful demonstration outside the Syrian Embassy, 8 Belgrave Square, London SW1X 8PH from 2pm to 4pm on Wednesday 9th May. Please put in an appearance if you possibly can during these two hours; just a few minutes of “solidarity” with the Prisoners of Conscience in Syrian jails will mean a lot. Please also encourage as many people as you can to take part.

I should be grateful if you could give me an idea of how many people you anticipate will be able to get there, as this will greatly help the organisers.

Best wishes,

Maureen Thomas

In honour of a few brave men

2007-04-30T01:21:00.000+01:00

The following is a post that has recently appeared on Fares's blog, and on Rime's Mosaic. Abu Kareem has also posted it with the Arabic translation attached.

In support of those brave men, whose spirits will never be anything but free, I post it on this blog, with great humility and immense admiration for their courage..

From the Prisoners of Conscience in Damascus Central Prison Al AdraApril 29th, 2007

We are prisoners of conscience and opinion in Damascus Central Prison, lawyer Anwar Al Bunni, writer Michel Kilo, Dr. Kamal Labwani, activists Mahmoud Issa, and Faek Al Mir, and Professor Aref Dalila who could not be reached as he spends his sixth year in solitary confinement.

After the sentencing of lawyer Anwar Al Bunni on 24 April 2007, we would like to say thank you and greet our families, friends, and all the people, groups, committees, organizations, associations, parties and political assemblies of Arabs, Kurds and Assyrians in Syria and the Arab world. We thank and greet the official representatives, countries, media and websites that support us by protesting our trials and arrests, and denying the accusations against our colleague Anwar Al Bunni.

We would like to send our heartfelt greetings and thanks to all of you and hope that your noble and brave attitude will not stop only with denying these accusations and supporting our cause.

Our case as prisoners of conscience is part of the continuing crisis of basic freedoms and human rights in Syria that began with the Emergency Law 44 years ago. This crisis reached its height in the 1980s and again today by an increase in tyranny, arrests and the suppression of fundamental freedoms.

Tens of thousands of Syrians have paid a horrible price, some with their lives, others with the loss of years and youth from inhumane prison conditions and cruel torture. Still more have suffered by being forced to escape the tyranny or enter into voluntary exile, another difficult experience. Other Syrians stayed, throwing salt on their wounds and binding their tongues to save themselves pain. Those that couldn’t live with their tongues tied faced a future in prison, homeless and alone. For the few people that climbed to the top of the tyranny and darkened Syrian society, they have contributed to the corruption, theft and poverty that have strangled the necks of the people.

The denial of fundamental human rights in Syria is the main case that we work for and your support for prisoners of conscience is part of this fight. Fighting for the release of these prisoners is a duty, not only to decrease their suffering and their families’ pain, but also to encourage others by knowing they are not alone. We must give society hope, making sure its doors and streets are not closed. With the power of hope it is possible to fight the crisis of freedom and human rights in Syria in a peaceful way.

Terrorism is the enemy of mankind and civilization itself. It flourishes in societies that lack freedom and close doors to peaceful expression, leaving violence as a way of expressing oneself. Inside these societies suffering from poverty, where they find no well being on earth they will turn to the heavens and the answers that it may provide them. The lack of basic freedoms and human rights coupled with poverty are two faces of the same coin in the Third World. Syria is at the forefront of totalitarian countries, ruled from an isolated point of view with its citizens either idle passengers or doomed to be labeled traitors.

The lack of freedom, means of expression, political participation and accountability leads to the growth of corruption, despotism, looting of public funds, rampant poverty and the collapse of moral values. The real fight against terrorism must not only be about combating extremist ideas. These ideas have existed throughout history, though they will always remain on the periphery, isolated and shunned, unless they find fertile soil to take root and grow. If they are allowed to develop in the soil of society, they will spread like toxic plants, poisoning communities and innocent people.

Addressing the root causes of terrorism requires opening up pathways to free expression and the peaceful exchange of ideas. By giving people unfettered freedom we can blunt the sword of injustice, oppression and domination to grant full political participation, a hand in future decision-making, accountability, the preservation of equality and a life of dignity. This would make the world a safer place and improve international security.

Syrians have paid a high price for their rights and freedom and we hope to be the last group forced to pay this price to help the great Syrian people. To do this we need more than your solidarity and denunciations. We need constant and tireless efforts to compel Syrian authorities to respect human rights, international law and the treaties and agreements it has signed which demand freedom of expression and opinion. The release of political prisoners is a necessary first step, including the abolition of the State Emergency Law and other such laws like Decree 49 signed in 1980 or the Hasakah Accountability Decree of 1962. Syria must abolish the State Security Court, compensate those that have suffered, create an independent judiciary, end torture and hold perpetrators responsible.

They must stop political arrests and ensure the freedom of the press, allowing political participation and the formation of parties, organizations and civil society.They must stop the looting of public funds and policies of impoverishment and domination. However, these steps are just the beginning necessary to put Syria on the path to security and move towards development, progress and the protection of national unity that now suffers from division and tension. These rifts and divisions are now impossible to conceal, despite the dancing and celebrations and empty rhetoric about a healthy society that in reality is sick and suffering. As prisoners of conscience and opinion we are apprehensive about the future of our homeland, our children and our very decision to shape Syria’s future. However, we will not be deterred by threats, intimidation, and the repression of long years of imprisonment that we face to save our country and ourselves

Adra Prison. 28-4-2007

Below is the Arabic text from ME Transparent:

من معتقلي الرأي في سجن دمشق المركزي

إننا معتقلو الرأي والضمير في سجن دمشق المركزي /عدرا/، المحامي أنور البني والكاتب ميشيل كيلو والدكتور كمال اللبواني والناشطين محمود عيسى وفائق المير والبروفسور عارف دليلة الذي لم نتمكن من الاتصال به والذي يمضي سنته السادسة في زنزانة منفردة، وبعد الحكم الذي صدر على المحامي أنور البني بتاريخ 24-4-2007، فإننا نود أن نتوجه بالشكر والتحية لعائلاتنا وأهلنا وأصدقائنا وجميع الأشخاص والمجموعات والهيئات والمنظمات والجمعيات والأحزاب والتجمعات السياسية في سوريا من عرب وأكراد وآثوريين وفي البلاد العربية في مختلف أنحاء العالم والممثلين الرسميين والاعتباريين والدول ووسائل الإعلام ومواقع الانترنت وكل الذين تضاموا معنا واحتجوا على اعتقالنا ومحاكمتنا ونددوا واستنكروا الحكم الصادر بحق زميلنا المحامي أنور البني الناشط في مجال حقوق الانسان.

نتوجه بالشكر والتحية لكل فرد منكم من كل قلوبنا ونتمنى أن لا يقف هذا الموقف النبيل والشجاع عند حدود اللحظة والمناسبة والتضامن والاستنكار فقط.

إن قضيتنا كمعتقلي رأي وضمير في سوريا هي جزء واستمرار لأزمة الحريات العامة وحقوق الانسان في سوريا بدأت مع إعلان فرض حالة الطوارئ منذ أربع وأربعين عاما قاسية وشهدت ذروة حادة في الثمانينيات وهاهي تشهد ذروة حادة أخرى بزيادة وتصاعد القمع والاعتقال ومصادرة الحريات

لقد دفع عشرات الألوف من السوريين ثمنا غاليا طوال تلك الفترة فمنهم من قضى نحبه ودفع كل حياته ومنهم من دفع سنوات طويلة من

زهرة عمره وريعان شبابه في ظروف لا إنسانية في السجون والمعتقلات وعانى التعذيب الوحشي ومنهم من هرب من البطش والقمع إلى من الغربة مختارا النفي الطوعي وتجربة قسرية ومعاناة بشكل مختلف وبقية السوريين فرض عليهم الانكفاء إلى ذواتهم ووضع الملح على الجرح والمعاناة والعض على الألسنة هربا من البطش. ومن لم يستطع احتمال زمن القهر الطويل فانفلت عقال لسانه أو عقله كان مصيره السجن أو التنكيل أو التشريد، والقلة القليلة تسلقت قمة القهر والقمع والتسلط التي خيمت على المجتمع السوري فعاثت فسادا ونهبا وإفقارا وتسلطا على رقاب البلاد والعباد.

هذه هي القضية الأساسية التي ينبغي دائم العمل من أجلها. وتضامنكم مع المعتقلين هو جزء من هذا الفعل والعمل لإطلاق سراحهم هو خطوة واجبة ليس فقط من أجل تخفيف معاناة المعتقل وعائلته بل هو ضروري لتشجيع الآخرين وإحساسهم بأنهم ليسوا وحدهم في هذه المعركة ولأجل إعطاء أمل للمجتمع بأن الأبواب ليست مغلقة نهائيا والطريق ليست مسدودة نهائيا وأن هناك قوة أمل حقيقي أن تصل أزمة الحريات وحقوق الانسان في سوريا إلى حل سلمي آمن.

إن الإرهاب عدو البشرية والإنسانية والحضارة الأول، يلقى الدعم والأرض الخصبة في التجمعات التي تعاني أزمة حريات وتغلق أبواب وطرق التعبير السلمي مما يفتح الأبواب لطريق التعبير العنفية والتجمعات التي تعاني من فقر شديد حيث لا يجد الانسان ما يملكه أبدا في الأرض فيسعى تحت تأثير الأفكار المتطرفة الخاطئة إلى ملكيته في السماء وما يوعدون.

إن انعدام الحريات العامة وانتهاك حقوق الإنسان والفقر الشديد وجهان لعملة واحدة في بلدان العالم الثالث وسوريا في مقدمة هذه الدول خاصة وأنها من الدول الشمولية التي تحكمها وجهة النظر الواحدة والرأي الواحد والآخرون مارقون وخونة.فغياب الحريات ووسائل التعبير والمشاركة السياسية والرتابة والمحاسبة يؤدي على نمو الفساد والإفساد والتسلط والإفقار ونهب الأموال العامة ويستشري الفقر وتنهار القيم الأخلاقية والإنسانية.

إن محاربة الإرهاب الحقيقية لا يجب أن يكون هدفها فقط محاربة الأفكار المتطرفة فهذه على أهميتها فإنها موجودة عبر التاريخ ولكنها معزولة ومنبوذة وليست ذات تأثير إذا لم تجد التربة الخصبة لزراعة أفكارها بل يجب أن يتوجه إلى تجفيف هذه التربة التي تتلقى هذه البذور لتحويلها إلى نباتات سامة تجتاح مساحات أوسع فأوسع من المجتمعات وتنقلب على أفكار إجرامية تطال الأبرياء والمجتمع ككل. إن معالجة أسباب الإرهاب يتطلب فتح أبواب وطرق التعبير السلمية وتبادل الآراء وإعطاء الشعوب حريتها المسلوبة منها ورفع سيف الظلم والقهر والتسلط عنها ومنحها حق المشاركة السياسية الكاملة برسم مستقبلها وصنع القرار وصنع القرار والقرابة والمحاسبة وحفظ حقها بالمساواة والعيش الكريم. وهذه مسؤولية دولية عامة لأن الأمن أصبح في العالم أمنا واحدا.

إن الشعب السوري دفع أثمان غالية للحصول على حقوقه وحرياته ونأمل أن نكون نحن آخر دفعة من هذا الثمن الغالي والكبير الذي يستحق الشعب السوري بعده أن يسترد حقوقه وحريته.إننا نحتاج إلى أكثر من تضامنكم واستنكاركم. إننا نحتاج إلى عملكم المستمر والدؤوب لإلزام السلطات السورية باحترام حقوق الانسان والقوانين والاتفاقيات الدولية التي التزمت بها وتطبيقها فعلا وإطلاق حرية التعبير والرأي والعمل السياسي ولعل إطلاق سراح المعتقلين السياسيين هو الخطوة الأولى الضرورية لذلك.بالإضافة إلى إلغاء حالة الطوارئ والقوانين الاستثنائية وعلى رأسها المرسوم 49 لعام 1980 ومرسوم الإحصاء الاستثنائي في محافظة الحسكة عام 1962 والمحاكم الاستثنائية وفي مقدمتها محكمة أمن الدولة والمحاكم الميدانية وإلغاء أحكامها والتعويض على المتضررين منه وإعطاء القضاء استقلاله الكامل ووقف ومنع التعذيب ومحاسبة مرتكبيه وإلغاء الاعتقال السياسي وإطلاق حرية الصحافة والإعلام والسماح بالمشاركة السياسية وتشكيل الأحزاب والمنظمات وجمعيات المجتمع المدني خارج الوصاية الرسمية ووقف نهب المال العام وسياسة الإفقار والتسلط والهيمنة.

إن هذه الخطوات تشكل فقط البداية الضرورية لوضع سوريا على سكة الأمان وبالاتجاه الصحيح للتطور والتقدم وتحمي الوحدة الوطنية التي تعاني من الشروخ والانقسامات والأزمات والاحتقانات التي تعصف بها ولم يعد ممكنا إخفائها بالأهازيج والمهرجانات والدبكات والتصاريح الجوفاء الفارغة حول صحة المجتمع الذي يعاني أمراض عدة شديدة .

إننا كمعتقلي رأي وضمير خائفون على مستقبل الوطن الذي نتمسك به وعلى مستقبل أطفالنا ومن حقنا المشاركة بصنع هذا المستقبل ولولا إبداء رأينا ولن نأل جهدا من أجل تحقيق مستقبل أفضل لهذا الوطن ولن يرهقنا التهديد والوعيد والقمع والقهر لا سنوات السجن الطويلة عن الاستمرار بما آمنا به وندرنا نفسنا له

سجن عدرا 28-4-2007

Another Day at the Office??...

2007-04-22T23:04:00.000+01:00

God, what a day this has been!...

It was an ominous start.. I am on-call today, and I was planning to get to the Department, as usual, just before 9am.. At 07:45, my colleague who was on-call Saturday rang me.. He said that he was contacted by the Nurse in-charge about a road traffic crash (RTC) involving three seriously injured people.. As he was planning to head off to London very soon, he wondered if I could start my on-call a bit earlier (we change over at 9am every morning)... Needless to say, I assured him that he can get on his way, and that I will be in the Department within ten minutes..

So I set off bit earlier than I had intended, and got to the Department (breaking every land-speed record known to man!..) before the casualties started arriving, which allowed me time to organise the team and prepare for the reception of the three injured people..

The three casualties came in quick sequence.. All three were quickly assessed, initial resuscitation started, various scans and x-rays done, and a number of emergency life-saving procedures performed.. Within an hour or so, one man was already in Theatre, undergoing surgery to have his pelvis fixed by the Orthopaedic Surgeons. Another was being cared for by the Neurosurgeons and the Intesivists on the Intensive Care Unit, and the third was eventually admitted for observation, after having a couple of minor fractures reset, and several facial lacerations sutured.. It took us two-and-a-half-hours to sort them all out and hand them over to the various specialist teams..

By that time, the Waiting Room was like Central Station.. standing room only!.. It seemed that the whole of Lancashire decided to pay us a visit today.. Suddenly, the week-old cough, the two-month-old back pain, and the ankle sprain that happened three days ago, cannot wait any longer... I guess there isn't much to watch on the telly, so people come to the Emergency Department for entertainment!..

On top of that, yesterday the weather was nice in Lancashire, and we had the promise of more nice weather today, even if not much of that promise did materialize... The morning was grim and dark, but it did brighten up in the afternoon.. and believe me, nice weather does not suit the Brits.. they are genetically designed to have their moronic tendencies displayed, at the slightest hint of sunshine or blue skies.. kids on their bicycles, youths on rugby fields, adults on motorbikes or in fancy cars, hapless DIYers, yobs with too much alcohol on-board, and middle-aged men (but refusing to admit it!..) doing mad things they have not done in thirty years.. the result of this explosive mixture? Accidents.. and more accidents.. not to mention the countless cases of asthma, insect bites, allergy attacks, as well as the 'usual' quota of 'ordinary' illnesses...

The Air Ambulance landed on our Helipad seven times today.. our average is four Air Ambulance transfers a month!!.. Our Prehospital Emergency Trauma Team (lovingly known as PETT) was called out four times.. our average is twice a month (we only tend to go out to RTCs with entrapment.. otherwise, it is better to get the casualty to us).. These are new and unprecedented records, smashing the previous records (for which, incidentally, I was the proud holder!!..) by a long way!.. Well, they don't call me DisasterMaster for nothing!..

Amidst the carnage, there were some touching stories of simple courage, human vulnerability, and pure stupidity!... the five-year-old who fell in the canal, trying to save his dog!.. (I am pleased to report that both child and dog have recovered from the ordeal!..).. the mother who was trying to impress her child with her bicycle-riding skills, but forgotten how steep the the road outside her house was.. (the result: a minor fracture to the foot, and a badly-bruised pride!..).. then the idiot who, after a few pints of lager, wanted to prove to his mates that the fart is flammable!.. (He farted while holding a cigarette lighter close to his bum.. His fart ignited, sending a blast of flames towards a pile of dry leaves they had collected, setting it ablaze.. three of the youths sustained burns to their hands when they tried to put the burning leaves out!.. The human flame-thrower suffered superficial, but very painful, burns to his nether regions... but he has proven his point!..)..

So, after all, this was just another day at the office...

I'd better get some rest.. I am totally whacked, and I have a full day tomorrow... and what's more, today is not over yet.. the night is still young...

(Picture: 'Pandemonium' by Halcyon83, Source: www.deviantart.com)

Life is too short

2007-04-10T01:42:00.000+01:00

(I started this post back in February.. I never got the chance to complete it then.. Mostly because I felt it was just a bit of rambling that concerns no-one.. I still think it is no more than that... and I am not quite sure why I am publishing it!...

Nevertheless, I am grateful to Abu Fares for prompting me, with his post, to finish it.. This is an updated version of the original post, as some of the original contents would have been irrelevant now..)

In February, my wife went to Damascus for a short visit.. Ever since we came to the UK, my wife has spent the Summer holidays in Damascus.. Every year, without fail, she would 'abandon' me for two months.. She often says that it is written in her marriage contract that she is entitled to two months a year, away from me.. and some of our English friends actually believed her!!.. In recent years, as the children are now at University, she has been going to Damascus twice a year.. She still goes in the summer, albeit for a shorter period, but now she also goes in February for three weeks or so... so she still gets her 'contractual' two-month break!..

Anyway, let's not digress too much...

We have been living in the UK for twenty-two years.. You would have thought that after twenty-two years of this ritual, I would have got used to her periodic absence.. The fact of the matter is.. I miss her now more than I used to miss her ten.. fifteen.. or twenty years ago..

I find it quite intriguing that, even after all those years, I still yearn for her company as much as I did twenty-six years ago.. (well.. more like 'thirty years ago' if you count the years of 'underground secret struggle'!.)..

It is often said that we never appreciate what we have until we lose it, but I do not subscribe to that notion.. I would like to think that I always show my wife how much I appreciate her (although, I am sure, there are time when she would disagree!..).. Then again, I guess I am one of those lucky people.. I married my childhood sweetheart, and she was, and still is, everything I ever dreamed of or wished for in a woman.. a wife, a friend and a companion, an advisor and a confidante.. and a lover...

I am a lousy sleeper at the best of times.. most of my posts, for example, are done at the early hours of the morning.. When she is away, I sleep even less.. I toss and turn in bed, waking up several times during the night, sensing her absence and longing for her presence..

During the day, I find myself ringing home from work.. in the full knowledge that there is no-one to answer.. I just feel that I need to reach out for her..

So, I admit it.. quite unashamedly.. I did miss my lovely wife when she was away, even though I have been very busy at work.. even though she was only away for three weeks.. (ONLY three weeks?.. Why, then, did it feel like three years??..)

But why do I miss her now more than ever?.. Simple, really.. the more time we spend together, the more reliant on each other we become.. She is my soul-mate, not just my wife..

A wise old man once told me that life is too damn short.. the clever ones amongst us make the most of the times we can spend with the people we care about most.. Take it from this not-so-wise, and not-so-old man: life is too damn short.. spend it accumulating beautiful memories.. don't waste it with useless arguments.. fill it with love and happiness, not with anger and frustration..

(Picture: 'Endless Love' by Alfred Gockel)

Chasing a mirage.. The elusive love..

2007-03-20T02:14:00.000Z

Some two weeks ago, Abu Fares 'tagged' me.. Quite an intriguing tag, actually..

I did say that I might take some time to answer it, but I was still hoping to reply within a week.. However, things went a bit out of control.. with a bang!!.. In addition, there was a multitude of other smaller, but still significant events.. and writing had to take a back seat for a while..

Today, I thought I shall take advantage of this brief lull in my chaotic life, and put pen to paper..(fingers to keyboard, really..)..

Abu Fares wanted me to say 'Which city do I love most in the World?'...

I am not what you might call a seasoned traveller.. Nevertheless, I have lived in and visited a number of cities.. So which one do I love most?.. What is it that one would love in a City?.. Fancy buildings?.. History and character?.. Clean, bright and well-maintained streets?.. or is it what memories and emotions the City stirs?..

To start with, I am not going to state the obvious.. Anyone who has visited my blog must have noticed that my heart belongs to Damascus.. In fact, if I were to be truthful, my heart belongs to the 'Damascus' that I once knew... the sad reality is that that Damascus does not exist anymore.. Every time I go back, I feel a piece of my heart being wrenched out, when I see what is happening to my beautiful City.. but don't get me started on that subject.. that's another matter altogether...

Abu Fares seems to believe that Beirut might be the one for me.. I lived in Beirut for a few years.. however, that was at a time when Beirut was anything but pretty or inspiring.. I did know Beirut casually before the Civil War, when it was 'the Pearl of the Orient', but my experiences with it during the 'Events' would leave a very dark and indelible mark on me.. ('The Events'.. what a stupid, understated, and empty description!.. but I digress...) My memories of Beirut are of the kind that, as much as I would love to forget, as much as I know I never will.. Memories that I would not associate with anything I love.. Regrettably, I have not been to Beirut since its rebirth.. Perhaps there is still a chance that I might fall in love with that City.. but not yet..

Many years ago, I have visited a number of Cities in the US.. but despite the grandeur, none of them made my heart flutter or skip a beat..

I am quite intrigued by modern architecture.. sort of a 'frustrated architect', I guess!.. So perhaps Dubai would be the City that I should love.. There is no doubt that the architecture is stunning, if you are into steel and glass.. The ultra-modern massive buildings, the palatial shopping malls, and the amazing and very impressive towers, surely, make it a serious contender..

Dubai

But, to tell you the truth, I found it to be a City without a soul.. I'm afraid it doesn't even make it into the short-list!..
Two years ago, we visited Bangkok, Singapore, and Kuala Lumpur.. Despite the similarities between them, each offered a somewhat different experience..

Singapore

Singapore was very elegant and beautiful, but rather sterile...

The Imperial Palace, Bangkok

while Bangkok was beautifully chaotic..

Petronas Twin Towers, Kuala Lumpur

and KL offered an interesting mixture of old and new..

Then, there is, of course, Istanbul which we visited in October.. and Rome, where we spent the last few days of 2006..

Sultanehmet Mosque, Istanbul

Istanbul was mystical and intriguing, and while I immensely enjoyed exploring it and loved visiting its amazing sites, I couldn't quite take our relationship to 'love' level..

But if character is what you are looking for, them Rome is clearly a hot favourite.. beautiful, elegant, and dripping of character..

Trevi Fountain, Rome

Still... I am not in love yet.. not with any of those beautiful Cities, anyway...

You must be thinking that I am such a finicky and choosy so-and-so.. Well, I am not, really... I am usually quite easy to please.. It's just that I am not one for casual affairs.. I am not one for falling in love on a whim.. and before a City can claim a place in my heart, must be truly special.. just like the one woman who achieved a similar feat..

And the search continues.. next on the itinerary: Vienna, Seville, and Barcelona..

So, Abu Fares.. I have replied to your tag.. but I don't think I answered your question!..

All photos by SB

What on Earth is going on?...

2007-03-19T01:19:00.000Z

Does anybody know?.. Has anybody heard?..
I have only heard rumours...
I heard that there is some hideous plan to demolish yet another part of Old Damascus.. And another part of my heart will be wrenched out ..
Tales of woe of all kinds have been flying across the Syrian Blogsphere.. Souq Al-Manakhliyyeh.. King Faisal Street.. Threats to demolish old houses and bulldoze ancient shops.. Families will be homeless, small businesses uprooted, a City raped, and a tranche of our City's history lost forever..
They say that a certain Syrian 'entrepreneur' has got his eyes on the priceless real estate market in that area of town.. The potential for 'property development' is, clearly, enormous, and I have no doubt that certain quarters within the Syrian Regime would give their right arm (correction: OUR right arm!..) to get their filthy paws on our beautiful heritage.. They say that the Authorities claim that this is done for the betterment of the City.. They say that this is done in the name of progress.. but since when did we start calling rape and destruction 'progress'??..

So who should I believe?...

One of the problems of living abroad is that you rely on second-hand reports on certain issues.. Your ability to develop an informed opinion depends on the authority, credibility, and authenticity of such reports.. What you read and what you hear will shape your views.. and on this particular issue, I am unable to find anything that I can reliably use to form such an opinion... Nevertheless, I feel an unmistakable air of trepidation.. an overwhelming sense of doom...

I urge anyone with any information on this matter to disseminate such knowledge as widely as possible.. As many people as possible need to be involved, if our heritage and our beautiful City's history were to have any chance of survival..

'I think.. therefore I am.. in prison...'

2007-02-26T08:08:00.000Z

A few days ago, my friend Abu Kareem published a post highlighting the plight of a fellow-blogger, who is being penalized by the Egyptian authorities for no crime other than expressing his thoughts..

As a Syrian blogging community, we felt that we cannot stand and simply watch, without trying to help Abdel Kareem Soliman (a.k.a. 'Kareem Amer' ) in this time of suffering..

Abu Kareem, with his well-recognised enthusiasm, and his well-known insistence on standing by his convictions, started a web-base campaign to try and help Kareem..

I am privileged to post a copy of his article on my blog..

Please visit Abu Kareem's blog, leave a comment, and copy-and-paste his article on to your blog.. You can leave a comment here as well if you wish..

And here is what Abu Kareem said:

We, as a community of Syrian bloggers, condemn the arrest and sentencing of Egyptian blogger Abdel Kareem Nabil Soliman for the peaceful expression of his dissenting views. We ask the Egyptian government to reconsider its decision to arrest and prosecute Abdel Kareem. The stated reasons for their action include the preservation of the public peace and state security, and the prevention of incitement against Islam. We contend that his arrest will achieve neither. Silencing such dissenting voices as Abdel Kareem’s, serves only to strengthen the hands of extremists who will not shy away from violence to achieve their goals. Moreover, we remind the Egyptian government that his arrest and prosecution violates at least two articles (see below) of the 1948 United Nations universal declaration of human rights to which Egypt was a signatory.Relevant United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights articles:Article 18. Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.Article 19. Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.Such rights for freedom of expression are also enshrined in the 1990 Cairo Declaration on Human Rights in Islam and the 2003 Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the World's religion

Thank you for your support.

A moment to reflect...

2007-02-25T02:21:00.000Z

Anyone following the news in the UK would have heard about the tragic train crash in Cumbria last night..

I heard about it first on a News Flash.. Cumbria is a large County located to the north of Lancashire, with a number of large hospitals in it.. So my first thoughts were that there is a small possibility that our Department, geographically located in the centre of Lancashire, might be involved.. Then the news came that patients are being airlifted, and I thought: Our Department is definitely going to be involved.. We have a helipad just outside our Department, while most of the Emergency Departments in Cumbria and northern Lancashire don't..

I was not on-call.. However, I have, after all, written our Hospital's Major Incident Plan, and I knew it inside out.. So, I rang the Department, and found out that we have been put on alert to receive patients. Resigned to the fact that my plans for a quiet evening have evaporated, I sped away in my car, green beacon flashing, on my way to Hospital.. My colleague who was on-call, now the Consultant In-Charge, was already in, and has already started organising the Department in preparation for the expected influx of casualties.. Some of my other colleagues arrived shortly afterwords, and the whole Hospital was springing into action, as the Major Incident Plan stipulated... Each of us was given certain tasks, on instructions from the Consultant In-Charge.. exactly as the Major Incident Plan stipulated...

The rest of the Hospital was also bustling with activity.. staff called in, volunteers directed to where they can be deployed, patients being moved, beds prepared, and theatres opened and staffed... exactly as the Major Incident Plan stipulated...

Casualties started arriving, and each was met by a team.. Each was assessed and treated according to the severity of their injuries.. exactly as the Major Incident Plan stipulated...

At about 01:30 am on Saturday, we were instructed to 'Stand Down', as the Ambulance Service has evacuated the last casualty from the scene.. and you could hear a collective sigh of relief.. We have come through.. as a Team.. as a Department.. as a Hospital.. A job well done.. but no-one could have been more relieved than yours truly!... This was the first time the Plan was 'tested', and, on the whole, it seems to have come out well..

Some of the casualties were admitted for observation, some for further treatment.. Others were discharged.. We spent the following two hours or so bringing the Department back into some sort of an order, and most of us were able to go home by 03:30.. I had the misfortune of being on-call on Saturday, so I had to be back at 09:00!...

I was quite prepared for another slog of many hours of hard work, dealing with the usual workload of the sick and injured.. What I was not expecting was to be hounded all day by the Press for comments, interviews, statements, and information... By the end of the evening, I had done four (or was it five?..) newspaper interviews, three telephone interviews with major news outlets (including SkyNews), two TV interviews (including ITN), and had my picture taken by half a dozen photographers.. to what purpose?.. God only knows!!.. I am absolutely certain that my contributions in this particular area were totally insignificant...

Before leaving for home tonight, I sat for 20 minutes in my office reviewing in my mind the events of the past 24 hours.. An immense sense of relief and satisfaction swept over me.. Relief that the condition of all our casualties has stabilised, although some are still critical.. Satisfaction with the way 'Team Lancashire' has come through..

(Of course, I exaggerate.. the girl in the pink uniform is not on our Team.. she does not have the right uniform!..)

There were some glitches, but no Major Incident response is complete without them!.. and there was nothing that could not be easily ironed out...

All that was tempered by the deep sense of sadness for the death of one casualty and the serious injuries suffered by so many... An elderly lady died at the scene, and several others were seriously injured.. some are being treated in our Hospital (including the train driver, and the daughter and son-in-law of the lady who died), while others are being cared for in Lancaster..

Nevertheless, one can only be grateful that things did not turn out to be as bad as we first feared.. the majority of passengers (90%) walked out unscathed, at least physically.. and that is blessing that we must be grateful for...

Proud to be Syrian.. yet another reason..

2007-02-12T22:50:00.000Z

I feel that I should have written this ages ago.. about four years ago, in fact!!.. (Mind you, at the time, I didn't even know what 'blogging' was!..)

We are just over one month away from the fourth anniversary of the most devastating human catastrophe to befall our Region for centuries.. The invasion of Iraq..

Now, I am not going to talk about the morality or the legality of this war (I know.. I know.. legality?.. morality??.. and war???.. in the SAME sentence????... ). This has been debated to exhaustion on numerous platforms and all over the media.. I do not feel that I can add anything new to that debate...

It is the human catastrophe that I wish to talk about... Today, yet another car bomb devastates yet another location in Iraq.. scores killed.. hundreds maimed... and inevitably, thousands forced to consider leaving their homeland in pursuit of some sense of security...

Over four years ago, when the warmongering was gathering pace, many commentators warned about the devastation that will follow the invasion.. but they were labelled as 'spoilsports'!.. They were simply brushed aside as 'Saddamists', trying to deprive the Iraqis from the promised paradise of democracy, peace, and prosperity..

I remember at the time, my brother-in-law (he holds a high position in the Syrian Red Crescent) describing the plans to accommodate the influx of refugees that would be expected to flood across the border from Iraq, trying to escape the horrors that everyone was foreseeing.. (everyone, except for the invaders and their bandwagon, that is..)..

Sure enough, the refugees did flood in.. More like a rapidly rising tide, rather than a tsunami wave.. And Syria received them with open arms.. homes, schools, hospitals, jobs.. everything that was available to ordinary Syrians, was also available to our Iraqi brothers and sisters...

Now, anybody who have read my blogs and comments would know that I am no fan of the Syrian Regime. However, I also do not subscribe to the practice of attacking the Regime just for the heck of it.. (In fact, I have given up commenting on a number of blogs which encourage that attitude, for exactly that reason..).. The position of Syria as whole (ordinary people, 'civil societies', charitable organizations, and even Regime and Government) regarding the issue of the Iraqi refugees (and that of the Lebanese refugees when they needed our help) continues to be a source of immense pride and amazement for me..

Pride, because Syria has ALWAYS offered all it has, to share with anyone who needs it.. Even in the midst of the worsening Iraqi refugee crisis, Syria and the Syrians were willing to open their homes, and their hearts, to refugees from another neighbour.. The Lebanese were given the same welcome.. the same hospitality, if not more.... Amazement, because most Syrians are struggling to make ends meet in their everyday lives.. never mind sharing what scarce resources they have with others!!.. I have heard endless first-hand accounts from relatives of Iraqi friends about the hospitality of the ordinary Syrian people towards the Iraqis.. I will not bore you with such tales, amazing and incredible as they are... but, hey.. that is the Syrian way.. throughout the ages.. so, perhaps, I shouldn't be amazed!..

The recently announced plans to impose visa restrictions on Iraqi refugees should not detract from the fact that Syria, unlike other neighbouring Arab countries, is still prepared to provide safety and shelter to all those who need safety and shelter.. but no-one can do that indefinitely and without any rules or regulations..

I believe that credit should be given, where credit is due.. However, I also believe that, when the Syrian people opened their Country to fellow Arabs, they did not do that expecting anything in return..

And that makes this Syrian feel proud.. very proud, indeed..

(Photo: Busra Amphitheatre. Courtesy of Syria Looks)

Your views, please...

2007-01-25T21:19:00.000Z

I am calling on all my cyberfriends to help..

Some of you might know that I have three lovely children.. In their studies, they are pursuing very different careers.. my eldest daughter is a 'pure' scientist.. she is a PhD Student in Genetics / Molecular Biology, a field that is far too cerebral for a simple-minded guy like me.. My son is in his Third Year at Medical School.. (he wouldn't listen to his old man and do Accountancy instead!..). My younger daughter, (she and my son are twins), is doing something completely different.. She is an accomplished musician, and is in her final year at University, studying World and Popular Music.. At the moment, she is up to her eyeballs preparing her dissertation, which is about Fairuz, the public perception of Fairuz and the impact of her music on the Arab society.. It started as an attempt to look at the role of feminine voices in Arabic music, and slowly morphed to this current topic..

And here is where you, my dear cyberfriends, can help...

Dana is collating views of people who grew up listening to Fairuz, (whether they like her work or not, so this includes you, Abu Fares!..), and she has set a few questions that I would be grateful if you could spare a few moments to answer..

The questions are not aimed at academics of Ethnomusicology, nor necessarily at professional musicians, although the views of such illustrious company would be greatly welcome and highly appreciated.. The questions are aimed at the rest of us.. those who grow up listening to the songs of Fairuz, and the music of the Rahbani brothers.. Whether you like Fairuz or not, Dana is really looking at your perception of Fairuz and the effects of her work on Society.. So, your views and your answers will be of immense help for Dana..

Dana loves her music, and enjoys what she does immensely.. She is very serious about her music.. She is planning to do a Masters degree next year, and the topic is likely to be a major expansion on the topic of her dissertation.. She will probably end up writing a definitive book on Fairuz, as, she assures me, there is nothing like this written about her!.. (whereas so much has been written about Um Kulthoum, for example..)

Anyway, and without any further digression (digression??.. Moi?!...), here are the questions:-

What is your opinion of Fairuz as a performer? Do you like or dislike her music?

What is it about her music that you like/dislike? (e.g. her voice, the lyrics, the music, feelings associated with the music, etc.)

Fairuz's popularity and success are beyond question. What do you think contributed to this?

Fairuz was extremely important on the music scene across the Arab world. Why do you think this was?

Fairuz was a village girl and was from a poor background. Do you think this affected her popularity, and why/why not?

"Fairuz sang about our everyday life". Do you agree with this statement? Why/why not?

Fairuz and the Rahbani brothers were a team. Do you agree with this? Do you think Fairuz would have been as successful without the Rahbanis?

Zahrat Al-Mada’en was a particularly significant song due to the timing of its first performance (a few months after the fall of Jerusalem in 1967). Do you remember the first time you heard it? What emotional impact, if any, did it have on you?

This last question, in particular, brought back some very deep-seated emotions.. I heard the song live when Fairuz sang it, for the first time, at Damascus International Fair Festival in August 1967.. mere months after the fall of Jerusalem.. Even as a lad of ten, I was overwhelmed by the power of the song and the emotions it evoked.. Now, almost 40 years later, every time I hear it, I still get goosebumps, and the hairs on the back of my neck stand on their ends... but, again, I digress...

So, my friends.. do you think you can spare a few minutes to answer these questions??.. Please feel free to be as brief or detailed as you like.. but please be faithful to your real feelings about the topic..

Thank you very much, my friends.. I know I can count on you..

(Photo by SB: Dana, November 2003)

The pleasure of being tagged.. (yeah, right!..)

2007-01-12T22:31:00.000Z

One of the main pleasures of blogging is that you get to 'meet' people in cyberspace, and through their writing and through their thoughts, you get to feel that you know them... The flip side to that, as far as I am concerned, is that they may get to know more about you as well.. Being a rather private person (or so I thought!..), I am not very comfortable bearing my soul in public.. and, as I have once said, it is not a pretty sight, anyway!.. Not that I have many 'skeletons in the cupboard' or anything.. I really do not have much to hide.. Nevertheless, the concept of opening up and answering intimate questions about my thoughts and feeling, strikes fear in my heart!..

Hence my deep unease when I get a comment on my blog with the terrifying words 'You have been tagged'!..

However, I do feel almost duty-bound to respond to such approaches.. I have to accept that such tags are part of the joys of blogging, and I will, grudgingly, respond to the latest one from my newly-found friend Dubai Jazz...

Dubai Jazz posed a few probing questions, and my first reaction was 'Surely, he must answer these questions first.. right?..' So I posed a challenge to DJ, to which he rose admirably!.. My pathetic attempt to snooker Dubai Jazz backfired so spectacularly!..

So, here I am, trying to give some witty, but truthful and unpretentious answers, to a set of very clever and rather awkward questions.. Let's see how I fare!..

1- Are you a principled person? Or are you pragmatic?
The question seems to suggest that you can be either one or the other.. I maintain that a wise man must be both.. I am certainly principled when it comes to core issues, like those of honesty, probity, honour and duty.. At the same time, I am quite pragmatic when it comes to many day-to-day matters.. I am not a stubborn person. I am very accommodating, and always try to see matters from the other person's perspective.. My view is that if you accommodate people, they are more likely to accommodate you..

2- Do you believe in people or in ideas?
What good are people without ideas?.. and where do ideas come from, but from people?.. Great ideas need charismatic people to carry them through, or else they remain just that.. great ideas.. The value of an idea is in how it contributes to the betterment of society and humanity. Great people have the vision to allow them to apply good ideas (not necessarily their own) for that purpose... In my book, people win.

3- How good are you in separating what is business from what is personal?

My problem with this question is that my business is very personal!.. I get involved in my patients' problems.. I sense their anxieties.. I share their concerns... and, to some extent, I share their jubilation, as well as their grief..

I have been in the business of Emergency Medicine for over 15 years, and I often have to break unexpected bad news to people.. I still find it very hard to tell someone that they have lost a loved one.. I always tell my trainees that, with time, you should get better at breaking bad news, but that doesn't mean it should get any easier.. I maintain that if such a time comes that I can break bad news to someone about their loved ones, and not feel a touch of sadness myself, then that would be the time that I should quit!..

So, in brief, I am not at all good at separating what is business from what is personal.. nor would I want to be!..

4- Do you have role models? How good are you in following their trajectory?
I have several, in fact.. and by the nature of that multiplicity, I am not good at all in following the trajectory of any of them!.. My course in life is charted by the complex amalgamation of a number of 'role models', each of whom had some influence on my thoughts and practices.. from my father, to a few of my teachers and mentors, even various national and international figures.. each of those had some impact on what constitutes the Syrian Brit of today.. No doubt, future acquaintances will continue to have some effect on shaping my future path..

5- A British saying goes: “Manners maketh a man”, what else do you think makes a man ‘a Man’?
I firmly believe that it is 'Deeds that maketh a Man'.. Not words.. not simply manners.. but deeds and actions..

6- Do you believe in taking risk? Do you follow your guts feeling? Has it ever failed you?
(First of all, this is cheating!.. This is not just a question.. These are AT LEAST two questions!..)

I believe in taking calculated risks.. I do not believe in being foolhardy, but I also feel that some risk-taking is essential for moving forward in every aspect of life.. Luck, no doubt, favours the brave..

As for following my gut feelings.. well.. I have done on many occasions.. and, of course, you win some, you lose some.. One several occasions, it paid off.. but on one or two occasions, my 'gut feelings' have let me down quite spectacularly..

7- Have you ever been through a ‘paradigm shift’? if not, do you believe that such process exists?
If what is meant by 'paradigm shift' is a 'St. Paul-style', 'thunderbolt-like experience' that changed my beliefs, then the answer, I am afraid, is a boring 'No'.. If, on the other hand, it refers to life-changing experiences that constantly modify and alter one's behaviours and attitudes, then the answer is a definite 'Yes'... I have no doubt that today's Syrian Brit is a much more mellow, reasoned and sensible person (making him, perhaps, more boring), than the Syrian Brit who, at the age of 19, refused to pay a bribe to a Traffic Policeman who wanted to fine me for something I have not done, and ended up spending the night in custody, and paying twice the amount in the morning to be released!..

8- Do you believe in unilateral love? Have you ever been through such experience?
I do believe in unilateral love.. As for the second part of the question, I wish to invoke the Fifth Amendment, giving me the right to silence, to avoid self-incrimination!..

9- How good is your assimilation within your social sphere?
I believe that I am very well assimilated within my social sphere.. Furthermore, I am happy rubbing shoulders with the best of them out there.. I am not intimidated by the 'Socialite', by the 'Big Pretenders', or by 'the Good and the Great' .. I can hold my own in most environments, and I enjoy challenges.. (particularly ones that I end up winning against the odds!..)

10- Can you name some of your new year’s resolutions?

Well. what can I say?.. It is only January 12th, and some have already been forgotten!..

Getting better organised?.. Already fallen by the wayside.. Finishing that paper I have been writing for months?.. Well... plenty of time to do that.. Sorting out my ever-expanding filing cabinets at the office?.. I will probably delegate that joyful task to my long-suffering Secretary!..

On a serious note, I set out wanting to get fit again this year, and I still intend to. I like working out, and I enjoy the buzz I get from exercise. Last year, I suffered a slipped disc (two, in fact) which resulted in me being almost bed-bound for a couple of weeks, and limited my ability to exercise.. However, I am determined to regain my fitness.. Very soon... Just.. don't push me.. I will do it in my own time.. OK?!...

Well, Dubai Jazz.. my friend.. Here are the answers to your tag!.. Are you satisfied now??...

Photo by SB: In the ground of The Imperial Summer Palace outside Bangkok

The Syrian Brit is one-year-old...

2007-01-04T11:21:00.001Z

It is exactly one year since the Syrian Brit was born.. (I mean the Blog, of course!..)..
As I have alluded in a recent post, I started blogging sometime after I got interested in the various lively discussions that I have come across on the Syrian blogsphere.. I just wanted a medium through which I can express my thoughts.. I do not claim any particular skills or specialist knowledge, apart from life experiences, broad-based reading, and, I would like to think, a degree of commonsense..

When I started blogging, I had no idea how addictively enjoyable this business is.. I had no idea how intimate would become the knowledge that one develops of fellow-bloggers..

I have acquired a few new 'cyber-friends', like Rime, Abu Fares , Omar, Fares, and many, many others.. I had some interesting and very entertaining comments and e-mails from people like Ghalia, Ihsan, George, Ascribo, Gottfried, Miss Levantine, and many others.. I made contact with Abu Kareem, whom I had the good fortune to meet when I was in Beirut back in the early Eighties..

I must say, I am not a particularly prolific blogger, but I find writing to be a very therapeutic exercise.. It allows me to relax, put my thoughts in order, and get my brain organised.. After all, I don't want to sound like a rambling idiot, or make a fool of myself in front of the wide Cyberspace.. even if I know for sure that no-one is actually reading!..

The entertaining, intelligent, and informative posts and comments that the Syrian bloggers make are a constant source of inspiration to me, and a source of enjoyment, fulfilment, and immense pride... I sincerely hope that, one day, I will have the opportunity to meet them in person, to thank them for making my 2006 that much richer for knowing them all..

So, time permitting, I hope to see you all, hopefully more frequently, in 2007..

(Photo by SB: Dinner at Kuala Lumpur Tower.. but that's a story for another time!..)

Rome.. a personal view..

2007-01-04T11:18:00.000Z

You can tell we were approaching Manchester.. The gusts of high wind, the blustery rain, the dark skies... 'Manchester weather' was there to welcome us back!.. As the plane landed in Manchester Airport, we all felt that we were coming back to Earth... in more sense than one..

We had a wonderful time in Rome.. Uninterrupted sunshine, to start with.. It was quite cold in the evenings, but there were times during the day when I was in short sleeves.. (It was quite a refreshing change from the bad weather my wife and I faced when we went to Istanbul in November.. then we had blustery showers, thunderstorms, and even snow!..)

We arrived late on Christmas Day, and spent the evening looking for a place to eat!.. (My son needs to be fed at very regular intervals, or he becomes very irritable!..)

Next day, we went out exploring.. Very quickly, we got our brains round the public transport system in Rome, and soon afterwards, we became the proud holders of weekly tickets that allowed us to use the 'Metroplitana' (Rome's Underground Rail System), buses, and trams for a whole week... and from there on, there was no stopping us!.. Armed with a map, and Roma Pass (a ticket that allows you free, or reduced-rate access to museums and archaeological sites), we managed to do most of the obligatory touristic landmarks of this incredible City.. In addition, we have managed to get a real feel of the City, by strolling along its elegant streets and beautiful squares.. The girls did some shopping.. from the ultra-exclusive shops along the Via Dei Condotti and Via Del Corso (where they did mostly 'window-shopping', I am relieved to say!..) to the delightful Christmas markets and street stalls in Piazza Navona and Campo de Fiori, where they managed to pick up quite a few bargains.. (You see, my wife is a professional haggler.. I mean, World-Class.. I am talking Olympic standards!.. If she doesn't get these stall-keepers to go down to a tiny fraction of the asking price, she would not be satisfied..)..

Three lost and confused tourists..

(expertly led by the Syrian Brit)

Piazza Navona... and Campo De Fiori

We even came across Sha3ban Abdul Raheem (or was it his twin brother?..) manning a market stall on Via Sannio near Piazza San Giovanni in Laterano.. (In fact, this guy is half-Egyptian, half-Indian, living in Rome, as my ever-inquisitive wife found out.. Talk about a 'Global Village'!..)

I loved the laid-back attitude of the Italians.. I mean, they take a two-hour lunch break, when everything stops!.. Civilized or what!..

And when the Sunday strollers decide to walk in the street (rather than on the pavement), cars just meander slowly, and wait for people to get out of the way!.. and not a horn ever sounds... (However, I did get a bit worried about their laid-back approach to health and safety, when, on New Year's Eve, people started setting off fireworks in the midst of the packed square!..)

The streets, the Metro stations, and the Metro trains, were steaming with buskers of all kinds, origins, and persuasions.. And not to be outdone, there was a young boy (probably of Arab origin) playing 'Derbakkeh'!!...

Pan-pipe 'one-man' band ... and a 'Derbakkeh'-playing busker

Another thing I loved about Rome, in addition to the delightful food, fantastic coffes, and yummy ice-cream (and don't get me started on Italian ice-cream!..), I loved the street sellers, selling roasted chestnuts.. I love roasted chestnuts, not just for the taste, but also for the smell and the beautiful childhood memories it evokes.. (Before my parents moved to a house with central heating, we used to roast chestnuts on the top of sobet el mazote.. or even better, at Grandma's house, we used to do that on top of sobet el hatab.. Happy days...)..

Most Italian women, as far as I could see, come in one of two models.. They are either, slim, tall, and delightfully elegant, or short, plump, and still delightfully elegant.. Of course, there are vartiations on these themes!.. (I could not take any pictures.. I feared for my life.. My wife would have either strangled me, or made me eat the camera, with fatal results either way!..)..

I was really struck by how much the Italians looked similar to us Levantines... I could have sworn that I have seen several friends, neighbours, and family members!.. In fact, on two or three occasions, I almost found myself wrapping my arms around some beautiful girl, thinking she was one of my daughters!.. (Well, that was my excuse, anyway.. and I am sticking to it!!..)

Rome can be described as one large open-air museum.. In every street, and in every little square, there are fantastic works of art.. You would be walking down a tiny narrow street, and suddenly, the space opens up, and you are in the middle of some amazing piece of art.. Just look how the Fontana di Trevi suddenly explodes into life as you approach it from the tiny narrow streets surrounding it..

We found out that you really need to visit each place at least twice.. once in daylight, and once at night.. The view is vastly different, as is the ambiance of these places.. The pictures of Il Vittoriano (derisively nicknamed 'Rome's false teeth'!..) are an example of what I mean..

The same also applies to the Basilica of St. Peter at the Vatican.. The daylight view is quite different from the night view, although equally awesome.. (I really believe the word 'Awesome' must have been created simply to describe the Basilica..')..

The Vatican, the Sistine Chapel, and the Basilica of St. Peter, were simply amazing.. After we went around the inside, we went up to see the Dome.. Soon we found out that we will have to go up 551 steps (and , of course, down again..).. Not only that, but we also had to pay for the pleasure!... I tell you, though, it was absolutely worth it.. At the end of the narrow (and I mean, really narrow!..) stairs, we were rewarded by a panoramic view of Rome from the top of the Dome.. and that was just dazzling...

Between us, we took more than 2300 pictures.. some 2.85 GB of files!.. The above are only a tiny sample... but I will not bore you with pictures you can get in any holiday brochure.. I also took some 6 hours of digital video, which I still have to edit and sort... That will take me some time, considering I am back at work on Monday..

Rome was delightful.. We walked anything between 10 and 14 hours every day.. We did in one week what many people would do in three.. I strongly recommend it, particulary with young enthusiastic company, who made it all so much fun, so lively, and so enjoyable.. I loved this holiday, not just because of the beautiful City we visited, but also because it gave me an opportunity to spend a great time with my kids, whom I miss immensely since they went off to build their own lives..

Nevertheless, next time, we will do it the romantic way.. just me and my lovely wife...

(All photos by SB, or other members of the Syrian Brit Clan)

A tiny reminder.. Life IS beautiful..

2006-12-25T01:37:00.000Z

Every now and again, things happen to me that restore my optimism... things that remind me that life is, after all, beautiful.. Very few can rival this one..

Thursday was my last day at work before my long-awaited Holiday.. As I was going to be away for two weeks, I decided to get in much earlier than I normally do, in order to try and make some impact on the mountain of paperwork that I simply must finish before I go away.. (Oooh, how I hate paperwork!!..).. I knew I had a full day ahead, and once the rat race starts, any chance of tackling that pile would simply evaporate..

As I drove in towards the Department, I could not help but notice something very odd... What on Earth is that car doing, parked right in the middle of the Ambulance Bay.. doors open, and a screen around it!!???..

As I opened my car door, I heard some muffled screams.. coming from that car!.. I ran to the car to find a young woman, in the final stages of labour!!... I noticed that her husband, along with two Nurses from the Department, were running back to the car with a trolley, to carry the mother into the Department.. However, to my horror, I realised that the baby had other plans.. It was not going to wait!.. Thankfully, the Nurses brought with them some sterile gloves and blankets, along with a pack of some basic instruments... and before I know it, I was in action, helping the young mother deliver her first child, on the backseat of her car!..

I don't know how long the whole thing took, but it felt like eternity!.. "OK.. Push, sweetheart.. you're doing fine..".. The baby is out.. the cold air sends it screaming!.. So far, so good.. Cord clamped and cut, baby (a healthy, bouncy little boy) wrapped in warm towel, handed to Nurse, who rushes him into the warmth of the Resuscitair and the awaiting Paediatricians... Mother crying with emotion, I am trying to control mine!.. Despite the freezing morning air, I was sweating buckets!.. My clothes, by now, were soaked through.. The relief of knowing that the baby was well, and hear him cry, was simply indescribable..

I am delighted to report that both Mother and Baby are doing fine... As for me, I am still recovering!...

But what about that mountain of paperwork??... Well.. After all that excitement, do you really think I was going to be bothered??... I mean, I was not even supposed to be there!.. I only went in at 07:15 to do some paperwork, and I get the unbelievable good fortune to be part of something so amazing!.. And people still ask me why I love this job so much!!...

In the end, I stayed till after 9pm to finish all the administrative rubbish.. and you know what?.. I really did not mind.. Even by the time I eventually got home after 10, I was still buzzing from my experience over 14 hours earlier...

I really should sign off.. I have a flight to catch in a few hours...

Photograph by Jennifer Loomis

Eid Mubarak, Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year...

2006-12-22T22:10:00.000Z

I started writing, thinking that this will be a brief post.. just to wish you all Eid Mubarak, a Merry Christmas, and a Happy and Prosperous New Year...

I know it is still a few days away, but you see, I am going to be away from Christmas Day, all the way through to after the New Year.. (You may recall the dilemma I was in, trying to decide where to go for the Holidays (A Christmas get-away.. the forbidden destination).. Well.. it is going to be Rome!..) Anyway.. I digress...

I was suddenly struck by the irony of it all.. In the year when violence in the name of religion has reached astronomical levels, the most important religious festivals for two of the World's great religions fall within the same week... This will not happen again until 2039.. not for another 33 years that Eid Al-Adha and Christmas will be this close..

Wouldn't it be great if humanity, somehow, managed to utilise this coming year to shed its increasing tendency for self-destruction, and be able to embrace peace for everyone?..

Wouldn't it be great if, this time next year, we were to celebrate the end of all violence across the globe??..

Wouldn't be great if, this time next year, we were able to declare our Earth a Planet free from tyranny and injustice??.. A Planet were all Nations live in harmony and mutual respect??.. A Planet free from all nuclear weapons and weapons of mass destruction??...

Pipe-dreams, I know.. but hey, what's life without dreams?!.. and what better time to have great dreams than at the run-up to Christmas and Eid Al-Adha?...

Well, I will put my proposals for saving the Planet on hold until I come back from Rome.. I shall report on this trip when I come back..

Take care, all of you.. and don't get up to any mischief while I am away!...

Picture by SB: Winter Scene

What's in a name?...

2006-12-03T00:45:00.000Z

I have not been in the business of 'blogging' for long.. Less than a year, in fact..
It all started when my eldest daughter sent me a link to a blog she had come across, The Damascene Blog, and said that I might like its contents.. and she was right!..
Very quickly, I found myself exploring blogs that I thought might be interesting, and found myself getting involved in some heated discussions.. You see, I have some pretty strong views on certain issues, and I wanted to express them.. (I, for example, get very cross when people in Syria assume that expats like me left the Country because we have no love for it.. that our loyalty is, somehow, questionable.. that the decision to leave was easy, and driven by greed.. Some assume that because we live abroad, we are out of touch with what is happening withing the Country, and that we cannot serve it as well as those who are within it.. That really makes me cross... but I digress!..)
Aaanyway... I started making comments as 'anonymous', but did not want to be associated with comments from other 'anonymous' commentators, and started looking for a pseudonym.. and 'The Syrian Brit' was born, and the Blog followed later... I thought the name emphasizes the fact that I am, first and foremost, Syrian, and underlines how important that is to my psyche.. At the same time, it reflects my current position as a British citizen, living in this Country, contributing to it, and enjoying the rewards and benefits.. Nevertheless, I was not (and I still am not) entirely comfortable with it.. it is too impersonal.. too formal.. and, in these respects, nothing like me!..
I thought of several other options.. I could have called myself 'AJ' (my initials).. or 'Mr. J', as some colleagues call me at work.. but I thought that was too pretentious..
Because my first name sounds almost exactly like a particularly typical Irish name, some of my colleagues call me 'The Honorary Irishman'.. They assure me it is because of my name, and not any other attribute that the Irish are, allegedly, reputed for!!..
Some people at work call me 'Speedy Gonzales'.. because of the way I whiz around the Department when it is busy.. Others call me 'DisasterMaster'... because, often, as soon as I walk into a previously quiet Department, hell breaks loose, and seriously ill and badly injured patients come flooding in!!.. In fact, 'DisasterMaster' has become my 'official' middle name!..
I quite like these nicknames.. I think they are endearing, witty, and spontaneous... However, none of them really reflects who I actually am.. so I decided against using any of them as my cyberspace alter ego, and I was stuck with 'The Syrian Brit'.. and with time, I got used to that nickname.. until Naji picked up on it in a comment on Rime's Mosaics.. and now Rime also seems to suggest I should change it...

But as someone with a limited imagination, I am genuinely struggling to come up with a suitable alternative..
So, I now put it to all interested visitors of this blog.. Can you come up with a more personal, but still representative, nickname to replace 'The Syrian Brit'?.. or would you rather I keep it?..
Printable polite suggestions only, please!.. This is a 'family show', after all!..
(Those who want to be more personal or abusive, can e-mail me on the e-mail address that is listed on my Blogger profile...)

A salute to Abu Fares

2006-11-29T02:14:00.000Z

For some months now, I have had the pleasure of following a most enjoyable and engaging blog, maintained by Abu Fares (abufares said...the world according to a tartoussi)..
Now, isn't the Internet just amazing!?...
I have never met the man, but through reading the posts in his blog, full of delicate, charming and sincere images of himself, his likes and dislikes, and 'the world according to a taroussi', I feel that I have really come to know, and like, Abu Fares... Not more so than after reading his latest offering...
As the title suggests, his latest post 'what I like', lists a number of things Abu Fares likes.. He then promises to list things he doesn't like in a subsequent post.. I eagerly await that...
In a comment in a previous post, Abu Fares mentioned that reading a post on my blog was for him like 'looking in the mirror..'.. Well, his latest post made me realise exactly what he meant!.. There are quite a few similarities between what I like and what Abu Fares likes (thinkers vs. talkers, good food, walking in the rain, good food, sports, good food, reading, good food, Syria, good food, beautiful intelligent women, good food, 'trains, planes and automobiles'... and did I mention good food??..), However, I must point out that there are one or two things on his list that I do not like..
For one, I am a tea-total.. not on religious grounds, I reluctantly admit, but more because of personal convictions, that were later underpinned by professional experiences (you only need to see once the consequences of a drunken rage on some poor helpless victim, or the humiliation and self-destruction that alcoholics degenerate into, to be put off the stuff for life.. even 'in moderation'...)..

While I like most things mechanical, I loathe motorbikes.. with a passion.. Again, that is probably a reflection of my professional experiences.. I guess it is not surprising, since I spend a sizable proportion of my working day trying to mend, often with frustrating futility, victims of motorcycle crashes!..

The next item on the list is more of a 'can't do' rather that a 'don't like'.. and that is cooking!.. I am absolutely useless as a cook.. In fact, only I can eat what I cook!.. I blame it on the fact that I am blessed with a wife who is, without any shadow of a doubt, the best cook in the entire Galaxy.. One of my English colleagues, having tasted my wife's cooking, often introduces me as 'the best-fed man in Lancashire', to which I reply: 'In the Western hemisphere, my friend!..'

Nevertheless, the similarities far outnumber the differences.. M*A*S*H.. the private space (now, a room in my house that I built to use as a gym.. in years gone by, it was my photography darkroom in my parents' house).. and most importantly, the privilege of being part of a phenomenon called 'blogosphere'..

So, my friend Abu Fares, I am honoured and privileged to have met you in cyberspace.. I am delighted to discover that, despite our differences, we have so much in common.. Who knows?.. Perhaps one day we will meet, be it in your beloved Tartous, in my beloved Damascus, or even in this 'Green and Pleasant Land' that I now call 'home'...

(Photo by SB: The Red Arrows, Royal International Air Tattoo 2002, RAF Fairford)

A soul-searching reply to a simple question..

2006-11-15T20:50:00.000Z

A few days ago, Ascribo, of 'Thinking Aloud' (http://ecrite.blogspot.com/) posed a challenge for me.. He 'tagged' me.. whatever that means!.. As I understand it, if you get 'tagged', you will be asked a question (or a number of questions) by the person who tagged you.. These are often deep and searching questions, and their answers, I suppose, are meant to reveal about you a lot more than you perhaps want to reveal!..
In my case, the tagging question was:
"Which of your qualities you want your child to have, and which of them you do NOT want him to have?"

Now, on the face of it, this seems like a simple question.. surely, I can recognise some qualities in myself that I want my child to inherit.. or can I???...

I must say, it wasn't too difficult to identify the traits that I wouldn't want to pass on to my children.. I possess certain qualities that, for the benefit of the human gene pool, best die with me!... but let's not dwell on those too much!..

I tend to be quite forgetful.. I always maintain that I have a brain like a sieve!... My memory is as good as the piece of paper in my hand (nowadays, as good as my PDA!..).. In other words, if it is not written down (nowadays, jotted down in my PDA), then it will be forgotten!..

Also, I am messy and untidy, to the deep annoyance of my obsessively tidy wife!.. I have a sign on my office wall, saying: 'A tidy desk is the sign of a sick mind'... Need I say any more?!..

I am not very organised.. I tend to be a bit of a 'scatter-brain'.. I often start on a task, and find myself digressing, and getting involved in a hundred-and-one other matters, leading to confusion and delays.. Some kind souls might call this 'multi-tasking'.. but if I were to be truthful, I would call it 'avoidance tactics'!.. Interestingly, this only happens when I am forced to do administrative tasks, paperwork (which I loathe with a passion!..), or house work.. Thankfully, I always manage to maintain focus when dealing with clinical matters, mostly because I enjoy what I do so much, and not because of any great brain powers!..

I have a habit of postponing tasks that I hate... If I had to tell one of my kids off for something they've done, I would keep finding excuses to do it 'tomorrow'!.. I always end up handing in my Tax Returns form within (almost literally) hours from the deadline (God bless on-line applications!..). I somehow try to convince myself that if I ignore those tasks long enough, they would simply go away!.. Sadly, they don't.. and I should be old enough to know that!!...

On the good side, I am a hardworking and motivated person.. I have managed, against some steep odds occasionally, to maintain my sanity and my focus, and achieve things that I am very proud of..

I am a very tolerant person.. I always try to see the good in people, and find excuses for their acts.. (even though some of those closest to me disagree, and even though that trait had certainly affected me adversely over the years, I still feel it is a good trait..). Nevertheless, I become a vicious monster if any harm were about to befall my loved ones..

I am (usually) pleasant and sociable, and it takes a lot to make me angry.. but believe me, you don't want to be around when I am!..

I think I am caring and thoughtful, and I would go out of my way to help those who need my help..

I believe I am an honest and principled person, with a high sense of duty and purpose.. Now that is a trait that I would love to pass to my offsprings...

After writing all that, I paused a bit, and thought.. What traits have I actually passed on to my children??.. Let's see...

From the outset, let me tell you that I have three absolutely delightful children, whom I absolutely adore.. and although they are so different in many way, they are remarkably similar..

All three are very hardworking individuals.. They seem to thrive on challenges, and they give their best when under pressure.. Check

All three are highly principled and honest. They would say what they think, and they would stand steadfastly by their beliefs.. Check

Each in his/her own way, they are very caring and selfless.. Each of them would do anything to help others, even complete strangers.. Check

All three are very pleasant and sociable.. (although they do somewhat vary on the sociability score..).. and by the way, all three have a remarkable ability to sulk!.. Check.. on both accounts!

Much to the annoyance of their mother, they are all messy and untidy.. I can't think where they get that from!...

My children are proud of who they are... They all have a highly developed sense of belonging, and a deep love for their roots, something that my wife and I have tirelessly instilled in them.. (I know.. this is not an inherited trait.. but at least it is something that I can get the credit for!..)

Well, for someone who professes to being a private person, I am not doing too bad here!.. Here I am baring my soul, warts and all.. (and it's not a pretty sight, anyway!..).. Nevertheless, the exercise made me realise, yet again, how lucky I am, and how blessed I have been to have such great children..

So, for that alone, thank you very much, Ascribo...

(Photo by SB: A lilly in my garden)

Rambling thoughts on a momentous day..

2006-11-06T00:34:00.000Z

So the verdict is out!.. Saddam is guilty of 'Crimes Against Humanity'.. and as a punishment, he is sentenced to death by hanging..
There is no doubt in my mind that this ruthless butcher thoroughly deserves the death sentence (although, in principle, I do not support the death penalty, I am willing to make an exception in this case!..). Nevertheless, I was really troubled by a number of things relating to this..
Why on a Sunday, when that particular Court never convened on a Sunday throughout its 1-year's duration??.. Is it becuase Monday is the last day of campaigning for the Mid-Term elections??.. Am I being too cynical when I link the timing of this sentence to the Republicans' electoral troubles?.. I know I am not the only one!..
Despite my views that the sentence was the correct one, I cannot help but note that the trial was a circus!.. only it was the dancing bear who was calling the tunes, and not the ringmaster!.. To my simple mind, the fact that the trial was so farcical has made the outcome so much less significant.. Saddam's supporters can, justifiably, scream 'Foul'.. All the political meddling, and all the flagrant bias demonstrated by the Court and the trial judges take away from the phenomenal significance of this monumental event.. This is, after all, the first time a former Arab ruler gets to be tried in his own Country, albeit with the Country under occupation...
But what troubles me most is the way the Western media has reported this event.. Even the more 'high-browed' organizations , like the BBC, have shown unbelievable levels of ignorance, when they report on how the Shias are celebrating, while the Sunnis are protesting!.. As if Saddam did not kill, torture and oppress as many Sunnis as he did Shias.. As if his inner circles of cronies and co-opressors did not contain Shias, as well as Sunnis, Kurds and Christians.. Any 'observer' worth his/her salt would tell you that the curse of Saddam, and the excesses of his henchmen, have reached every corner of the Iraqi society..
At this moment in time, certain questions immediately spring to mind.. like 'who's next?..' , or 'when will other people be held responsible for their Crimes Against Humanity?.. People like Bush, Blair, and Olmert, amongst others?'..

Happy Eid

2006-10-24T01:26:00.000+01:00

This is a very brief post..
I just want to wish you all a very Happy and Peaceful Eid.. May it bring you and your families happiness, prosperity, and good health...

Picture by SB: Autumn Scene

A Christmas get-away.. the forbidden destination

2006-10-19T02:14:00.000+01:00

I am the only non-Christian amongst the Senior Staff in our Department.. Ever since I took up my current post, I have always volunteered to do Christmas Day, thus allowing my colleagues to enjoy the festivities with their families.. I am delighted to say that this has always been met with appreciation from my colleagues, who would, in turn, try to ensure that I get time off during our festive seasons..
Our Clinical Director (whom I call 'the Clinical Dictator'... to his face, I hasten to add!!..) is, in fact, a very shrewd and wily man.. he is an enlightened and forward-thinking boss, who defends our corner very vociferously.. A few years ago, he came up with the ingenious idea that, because of our numbers, we can afford to have one of us off for two weeks around Christmas and New Year, an idea that went down very well with the Senior Staff.. So, we drew our names out of a hat (actually it was a standard NHS biodegradable bowl!..), to determine the order by which we will have our turn..
Last year, it was my turn.. but a quick calculation told me that it would be more logical for me to have the two weeks off THIS year .. After all, this year, Eid Al-Adha coincides with New Year's Eve.. It did not take a great deal of convincing to get the person next in line to have his two weeks off a year in advance!!..
So, for the first time in six years, I am off for Christmas.. and for the first time for as long as I can remember, I am actually off for BOTH Christmas AND New Year!!!..
To make the most of this opportunity, we decided to go away for the two weeks.. all of us... myself, my wife, and our three kids.. The difficulty is determining where to go!..
Our first thought was to go home.. After all, what is nicer than spending Eid with family and friends back home?.. However, if I go in December, I will not be able to go in the Summer.. as I am only allowed to visit the Country (MY OWN Country..) once every twelve months.. and even that is such a prohebitively complicated matter!.. It literally takes several months of palnning and uncertainty.. I have to get a special permission from the 'AlQyadeh AlQawmieh', through the Embassy.. There is no guarrantee that I will get it in time, and if I apply too early, the permit might expire before I am actually planning to go!.. (the permit is only valid for a limited period, and you cannot specify when!..).. Why??.. Because I have not done my Military Service (I am nearly fifty!..).. Why on Earth does a citizen of a Country have to get permission to visit his homeland??.. How can stopping me visiting my beloved City serve 'the Cause'??.. There is no doubt in my mind that this is yet another ploy to disenfranchise ex-pats like me, and make us feel that we do not belong.. Well, it won't work.. not for this ex-pat!!..
Nevertheless, sadly, this option is now ruled out, as much as I would have loved to go home for Eid.. I have not seen Eid in Damascus for over 21 years.. My children experienced Eid al-Fitr over there a few years ago when it coincided with the Christmas Holidays, but I was unable to go at the time..
We spent a few days trying to explore other possibilities.. Options from India to Andalusia, from Vienna to Dubai.. from Morocco to Stockholme.. are all being considered, but no firm decisions made as yet.. Sadly, the one place missing from this list is the place I would most love to go to...

(Picture by SB: A water lily in my pond)

In support of those who refuse to be silenced

2006-09-15T01:12:00.000+01:00

The following appeal has been posted by Fares (http://freesyria.wordpress.com/2006/09/13/syrians-refuse-to-be-silenced/). Like him, and like many other Syrian bloggers, I urge all fellow Syrian bloggers everywhere to voice their support for those brave souls.

"The updated high profile Syrian prisoners list include Mahmoud Issa, Michel Kilo, Khalil Hasan, Anwar el Bunni, Suleiman al-Shamar, Ali Abdallah, Mohammed Ali Abdallah, Kamal Labwani, Fateh Jamous, Habib Saleh and Aref Dalila.
It is easy to become complacent and resign oneself to the fact it all seems hopeless. But, at least, in honor of those few who believed that it is NOT hopeless, that this country has a better future beyond corruption and dogma.
We owe it to these prisoners of conscience and we owe it to the future of our country to keep pushing for their release.
We are all Free Syrians and We deserve a fair justice system, free speech and better policies."

Sore throat?.. So what!..

2006-08-03T01:19:00.000+01:00

Why on Earth am I blogging?...
What can I say about the current events in Lebanon that has not already been said time over time??.. and far more eloquently than I can ever say it?..
I really do not have anything new to say.. and even if I did, I ask you, who is actually reading this or paying any attention?..
Is anyone reading this able to do ANYTHING to stop the ongoing destruction?.. Even more, would the collective action of all those reading this blog, posting on their own blogs, or commenting on other blogs, result in saving a single road from destruction?.. a single house from demolition?.. even a single child from being blown up to bits?... I put it to you, my friends, that the answer is a resounding 'NO'!...
I am not, by nature, a defeatist.. but I am so, so frustrated.. so overwhelmed by an overpowering sense of futility and irrelevance.. A beautiful country that I have lived in, loved and still love, is being destroyed.. its infrastructure decimated, and its people killed, maimed and displaced.. and all I can do is BLOG???...
Well.. I have, in fact, tried other things.. like writing to my MP (the Right Honourable Jack Straw, no less!..).. like trying to get colleagues and work-mates to do the same.. like canvassing support and starting petitions at my workplace.. and some good did all that do, I hear you say!!!...
A few days ago, I had a very heated discussion with a very good friend of mine.. She is a highly intelligent, very articulate, and extremely well-read (not to mention beautiful and charming!..) lady.. And what was the discussion about?.. Well, you guessed it!.. Lebanon, Israel, Hizbullah, and the God-almighty mess they have got themselves into!!..
Although she concedes that the Israeli actions are disproportionate, she is of the view that Hizbullah have brought this onto themselves and Lebanon.. She argues vociferously that Hizbullah have shown no respect for the lives of their own people and followers by mixing with civilians, and, consequently, they bear the responsibility for the killings...
Now, I am not a fan of Hizbullah or Nassrallah.. In fact, I am not a fan of any religious organization that proclaims political aspirations.. I firmly believe that God and politics should not mix.. but surely, this is a bit more than just a school yard tussle.. I really do not care, at this point at least, as to 'who started it?'... For me, the important thing at the moment is to stop the killing and the destruction.. on both sides.. and whether or not Hizbullah fighters are hiding amongst civilians, at the end of the day, it is the Israeli bombs that are killing the children by the dozens..
The argument branched into all sorts of other issues, such as religion and its role in politics in the Middle East, the love/hate relationship between East and West (I actually maintain that it is between North and South.. but I digress!..), not to mention women's rights and race relations within the UK.. amongst other hot potatoes..
I came out of that discussion with a few conclusions...

Conclusion #1:
It is very difficult to change someone's opinions. People make up their own minds and set their own views, based on their experiences, readings, exposures, culture, and background.. Even when you offer what you believe to be blinding evidence, they will probably retort with what they see as equally blinding evidence in favour of the opposite view!..

Conclusion #2:
Our ability, as Arabs, to argue our position is very severely hamstrung by the fact that our own rulers, singularly and without exception, are corrupt, oppressive and authoritarian.. These rulers and regimes (please don't call them Governments.. that term implies the existence of systems and methods and rules and regulations.. those people do not deserve that title!.. but I digress again..).. where was I?.. yes.. these rulers and regimes will hijack any cause that stirs the masses, and use it to strengthen their hold, and tighten the noose around our collective neck.. And trust me, those whom you engage in a discussion can see it, too!.. and they will use that fact to undermine your argument..

Conclusion #3:
Our ability to argue any position is hampered even more by the fact that our society is full of hypocrisy and contradictions, and until we look inwards and examine our inner selves, we are going nowhere.. We cannot blame all our ills on the regimes and rulers.. We must take some responsibility for our collective destiny...

Conclusion #4
A corollary to Conclusion #3, I think that our problem lies, partly at least, in our inability to accept that there is room for more than one view.. some of us want to impose their own opinion on everybody else.. by force.. brutal force, if necessary.. It seems to me that, deep inside, some of us cannot accept diversity in our ranks.. and one rotten apple spoils the whole barrel.. Democracy and pluralism will only work if we all respect one another's right to freedom of belief and expression.. We have to agree to differ... Surely, we can accept that others are also entitled to their own opinion?..

Conclusion #5:
Once upon a time, I was an optimist...

Nevertheless, despite becoming an old cynic, and for what it's worth, I will not stop arguing my case.. or shouting against injustice.. knowing fully well that all I will get out of it is probably a hoarse voice and a sore throat..

Change of Direction?.. or Admission of Truth?

2006-06-05T01:25:00.000+01:00

It has been absolutely ages since I have posted anything, a fact that I am not proud of!!.. However, in my own defense, I have been extremely busy with all manner of things.. be it work or family-related. As a result, I have not had any time for myself lately.. The mere fact that I am posting at 02:00am is proof of that, even for a self-confessed insomniac like me..

Also, in mitigation, I have not been totally absent from the Blogosphere.. I have been, almost compulsively and addictively, visiting my usual 'target' blogs, and actively taking part in the various discussions.. However, the lack of any 'original' thoughts, and the mental block that I sometimes get when overwhelmed and snowed under, meant that I was not really able to write anything worth reading for my blog.. And since my insomnia is, actually, largely related to being overworked, you can add sleep-deprivation to my list of excuses!...

When I first started my blog (or as one witty commentator put it, when I lost my virginity as a blogger!.. and, boy, what an experience it was!!..), I did not intend it to be yet another 'political' blog.. I did not want it to be yet another platform for someone fed-up to the back teeth with the 'situation' back home (even though I truly am!!..).. I wanted it a blog for personal thoughts and experiences.. mine and those of others.. (and 'others' includes any decent person who cares to visit the blog and leave a comment.. Syrians... Arabs... ANY human being.. even aliens and extraterrestrial life-forms are welcome!!..)..

However, I have come to realize what I must have known (but tried to ignore) all along.. You simply cannot separate politics from the very personal thoughts and experiences that I wanted to feature on my blog.. certainly not in the simple mind of yours truly, The Syrian Brit!!..

So, my dear friends, from now on, you can expect a mixture of personal thoughts, social and political musings, as well as various general topics..

Unfortunately, I cannot promise to be any more 'prolific'.. or perhaps I should say 'any less lazy'!..

Happy Birthday, my sweet little girl..

2006-02-27T22:30:00.000Z

Today is my daughter’s birthday.. She turned 24, but she is still my sweet little girl… (and what’s more, she still has me wound around her little finger!!..)
Hala was born while I was working / training / studying in Beirut.. We were living in a tiny flat near the French Embassy in the Ein Mreisseh district, not very far from the American University Hospital where I was working.. She was barely 3-month-old when we had to leave Beirut in the aftermath of the Israeli invasion..
Over the years, I watched her grow up and blossom.. always radiant with happiness, self-confidence and ambitions.. I watched her brighten my life with her first smile.. I watched her anxiously taking her first steps.. I was there to comfort her and help her back to her feet when she stumbled.. In July 2004, Hala graduated from University.. That was, without any doubt, the proudest day of my life.. The sense of pride and fulfilment that I had when I saw her, looking million dollars, in her graduation gown was, simply, beyond description.. She is now a graduate student, doing a PhD in Genetics, and has already published a few papers.. (Did I tell you that I am very proud of her?..)
Since she was born, Hala has managed to fill my whole existence with love and laughter.. She is the most delightful and most beautiful little girl any father would have the good fortune to have.. (If you think there is a possibility that I just might be a little biased, well.. you’re damn right I am!!.. and I think I am entitled to be..)..
To my most delightful and most beautiful little girl I say ‘Happy Birthday, my sweet little girl.. May your life be filled with as much happiness as you have given us over the years.. May your steps be assured and confident, and may your path be bright and clear.. and most of all, may your days be happy and your dreams fulfilled’

Of Humility and False Pride

2006-02-16T00:29:00.001Z

My friends, I want to share with you a rather humbling experience that I had today..
Those of you who have taken the trouble to check my profile will know that I work in a Teaching Hospital in the North West of England, and that I am involved in medical education and training. One of my main areas of interest is the planning for, and the management of, major incidents and disasters.
A few weeks ago, a colleague of mine, who works for Lancashire Ambulance Service, asked me if I would speak in a conference on Major Incident Planning and Management, which I gladly did. It was a well-attended affair, with delegates from all over the World. The positive feedback that my talk received made all my hard work completely worthwhile.
Last week, the same colleague rang me, saying that a delegation from Japan were at that conference, and they have contacted him to see if he could put them in touch with me. They wanted to ask some detailed questions that, clearly, I could not have answered at the time…
I was more than happy to oblige. I invited them to spend the whole afternoon in our Department, went through an extended version of my original presentation, and answered their questions. I took them round the Hospital, explaining the various components of our Hospital’s ‘Major Incident Plan’ (which, incidentally, I recently had the dubious pleasure of re writing). I was delighted to see that they enjoyed the afternoon, and that I managed satisfy their curiosity and their legendary Japanese attention to details.
The delegates were, in fact, three eminent Professors in Emergency Medicine and Critical Care. Each has a list of publications as long as my arm. Nevertheless, they felt that they still lacked some knowledge in the specific field of ‘Emergency Planning’, and were perfectly happy to seek that knowledge from a mere mortal like me. They came all the way from Japan, chasing one thing.. knowledge… They possessed the humility to enquire about what they did not know.. They never closed their minds to further knowledge. They never tried to hide behind their unquestionable status. On the contrary, they were actively seeking to widen their horizons and enhance their (already quite formidable) experiences..
Compare that to the attitudes of some fellow-countrymen!!.. A couple of years ago, I was approached by an old mate, who now is a prominent and well-connected surgeon in Damascus. He asked me if I would organize some courses, similar to what I regularly teach on in the UK, for doctors and other Health Care Professionals. I jumped at the opportunity.., I put at his disposal, and that of the authorities, my skills and experiences as a trainer, educator, and clinician. I offered to help train Emergency Care personnel in various aspects of emergency planning, trauma resuscitation, and other similar essential skills, free of charge, of course. I explained that with my connections in the UK, I could easily obtain permission to adapt existing courses, or develop new ones, to address the specific needs of my ‘target audience’.. My friend took up my proposals, and promised to put them to the ‘powers that be’.. He never came back to me!.. I later learned that this was done on his own initiative without ‘checking’ with the Big Wigs first.. and when he went to seek their approval and support, their reply was something on the lines of ‘Who the hell does he (yours truly, that is!..) think he is to come and teach US!!.. What does he know of the ‘systems’ (!!!) that we have here???... ‘
That, my friends, illustrates one of the fundamental problems with the Arab psyche. We are so insecure that we consider advice a threat. We are so unconfident that we view offers for help as attempts to patronise and undermine…
To my newly-found friends from Yokohama I say: ‘I am grateful to you beyond what my words can express.. You have taught me today a most valuable lesson. Humility is a sign of greatness. The ability to recognise one’s weaknesses, and to seek to address them, is the ultimate proof of strength.

Forgotten in the mayhem - the Red Sea ferry disaster

2006-02-06T23:30:00.000Z

In the mayhem that followed the publication of the now-famous cartoons, the World has (almost) completely ignored the awful tragedy of the Egyptian ferry, that sunk with the loss of 1,000 lives..
A thousand lives lost.. Tens of thousands of bereaved masses are left without any help or support.. Hundreds of families lost their bread-winners.. and the Arab World has erupted over some images, awful and horrid as they are...
This is a tragedy of enormous proportions.. Not only in terms of the tragic loss of human life (which, if news reports were to be believed, could have been easily averted), but also in what it demonstrates in lack of any concern on the part of the authorities to the value of human life, or the suffering of the survivors and the bereaved.
I dare say this official stance, and lack of any support for those who desperately need it would be typical of the attitude of Arab regimes.. Back in the 60’s, when Amin El-Hafez was President of Syria, a commentator dared confront him saying that a large number of civilians have been killed in Hama as a result of the Army’s response to an alleged insurgence in the City, his infamous reply was ‘So what?.. women can still bear many children…'( ...ﱟﺍﺮﻴﺜﻜ ﻦﺪﻠﻳ ﺀﺎﺴﻨﻠﺍ )
A response not dissimilar to that of the Egyptian authorities was dished out by the Syrian authorities in the aftermath of the Zeyzoun Dam disaster in June 2002. The Authorities, by and large, stood by, watching the misery of the helpless victims, and ‘bestowing’ on them $200 for those who lost a home (!!!) and a $1,000 for those who lost a loved one!... It was only after aid (mostly from Italy, through the UNDP) started arriving some 12 months later, that the victims of the disaster got some relief.. (Although, to be fair, a number of Arab businessmen, mostly from the Gulf states, have donated significant sums.. God only knows how much of that aid went into secret bank accounts...)
The Arab regimes are too busy feathering their nests, to worry about a few thousands distressed amongst their people...

Not in my name

2006-02-05T10:31:00.000Z

I despair…

What the hell is wrong with our People??...

What on Earth do they think they achieve when they burn flags and torch embassies??... What do they think this uncontrollable demonstration of venom and hatred says about Islam and Muslims?..

I tell you what they have achieved.. they have confirmed, in a most convincing fashion, to the whole world that WE ARE the terrorists.. that WE ARE the blood-thirsty thugs.. that WE ARE everything our enemies describe us as.. and worse..

Some have been blaming tis on the acts of the Americans Iraq and the Israelis in Palestine.. Let's not kid ourselves.. anyone who saw those pictures (many Arabs and Muslims included) did not say: 'Aah, the poor people are enraged by what happens in Iraq and Palestine.. That's ok, let them vent off their anger!!..'.. In fact, most sensible people would say 'what a bunch of idiots and hooligans...'..

I am enraged!.. Far beyond my words can say.. These acts will only serve to destroy any semblance of a favourable image Muslims and Arabs might have left.. These mobs totally undermine all the good work that many of us have toiled and sweated blood and tears over years to achieve, in our attempts to raise the profile of our distinguished civilization, and show the true meaning of Arabism and Islam.. and then, you get hoodlums like those mobs in Damascus yesterday, and Beirut today.. They did not only vandalize the Danish and Norwegian embassies, they destroyed the image of a Nation..

How can any of us now say ‘Islam is the religion of peace and tolerance’??..

It might be said that these hideous acts were carried out by ‘agents provocateurs’, It might be said that those who did it are regime puppets.. it might even be said that they are foreign agents with a different agenda.. Nevertheless, these acts were carried out in the name of Islam, under the guise of defending it.. What a sickening farce.. I say to all those bastards who attacked the Embassies and burnt flags and vandalised properties.. ‘Not in my name.. Never..’

Yes, I am enraged.. and I am ashamed... I have never in my life felt ashamed to be Syrian.. I do now… yesterday was a dark day in Syria’s modern history..

I just despair…

The ballot box is mightier than the sword

2006-01-28T10:58:00.000Z

The World is just about coming to terms with the events of the last few days in Palestine.. the shockwaves are still rippling through the Middle East and the rest of the World...
The Palestinian Legislative Council elections have demonstrated the frustration and despair amongst the Palestinians. The masses have voted overwhelmingly against the status quo, and went for Hamas.. largely because the alternatives were so pathetic.. Dispossessed, oppressed and disenfranchised, people will always shift to the most extreme option, with little regard to the details of the manifesto or policies proposed by that option.. Democracy, the US must now realize, is a double-edged sword..
The reaction to the results also demonstrated the duplicity of the Western media and Western government.. what I often refer to as 'the prostitution of the Western press'.. What is 'extremism' on the Arab side becomes suddenly 'adherence to principles' on the Israeli side.. 'Terrorism' is what the Palestinians practice, but it 's ‘defending the right for existence’ if carried out by the Israelis..
I have just watched the Press Conference held by Khaled Mash’al, Head of the Political Office (to avoid terms like ‘Political Bureau’, as it is too reminiscent of Communist Russia!!..). I must say, I am impressed by his charisma, apparent open-mindedness, and call for pluralism and inclusiveness of all Palestinian factions. Only time will tell how true to his words the organization is going to be.. I would say, give the man a chance.. I do hope that Israel, the West, and Arab countries alike will demonstrate the same levels of open-mindedness.. However, I am rather pessimistic, and previous experiences have always brought out the old cynic in me...

A glimpse of the Levantine Dreamhouse

2006-01-26T01:34:00.000Z

Abu Kareem,
I have just paid a visit to your blog, which I found genuinely interesting..
You said in your latest post (http://levantdream.blogspot.com/)a lot of what goes in my own mind about the intricate relationship between Syria and Lebanon, and the Syrian People and the Lebanese People.. (I tried to leave some comments, but could not find a way to do it.. Am I missing some obvious way to do that?.. Is it just my lack of experience in blogging etiquette?..)
I think the large majority of the Syrian people empathize with the Lebanese people on the issue of the hardship they endured under the oppressive boot of the Syrian army and mukhabarat.. After all, as you said, who better to empathize with a sufferer than a fellow-sufferer?.. (I personally felt deeply embarrassed and humiliated when the Syrian Constitution was amended in less than 15 minutes to to pave the way for Bashar Assad to succeed his father, creating the first 'hereditary republic' in the modern Arab history.. I felt exactly the same embarrassment and humiliation when the Lebanese Constitution was manipulated and meddled with, to allow that unbelievable folly of extending the tenure of President Lahoud)..
In fact, I suspect that quite a few Syrians today secretly envy the Lebanese, now that they do not have to suffer the kind of oppression that the Syrians still endure.. (I fully appreciate that Lebanon has its own set of very complicated and un-enviable problems, though!..)
I lived in Beirut in the early eighties (1980-1983), and lived through some of the worst episodes of the Lebanese Civil War.. While I do not, in any way, want to belittle the suffering of Lebanon and the Lebanese at the hands of outside forces (wherever they came from), I too could not help but feel that the Lebanese were always more than happy to find faults in others and forget their own.. they always saw their problems as a result of 'external forces'.. never their own doing..
Like you, I was not at all surprised by the way events turned in Lebanon.. I think everything that is going on today, including the rampant xenophobia (or should I say 'Syriophobia'?..) is understandable (However, that is not to say it is acceptable or justified)..
While I can understand why some Lebanese harbour so much hatred towards everything Syrian, I do wish they can differentiate between the true oppressor and fellow-oppressed.. I do wish they would look at their own shortcomings, in order to start to address them..
But more than anything, I wish I would live to see the day when the Syrian people are free of oppression, and are allowed to achieve their full potential...

Pity The Nation

2006-01-15T18:12:00.000Z

I was tidying up my office this afternoon. I came across a sheet of paper on which I had, a while ago, printed up this poem by Khalil Gibran, from his book, 'The Garden of The Prophet'..
How true it is today, as it was seventy years ago..

Pity The Nation

”Pity the nation that is full of beliefs and empty of religion.
”Pity the nation that wears a cloth it does not weave, eats a bread it does not harvest, and drinks a wine that flows not from its own winepress.
”Pity the nation that acclaims the bully as hero, and that deems the glittering conqueror bountiful.
”Pity the nation that despises a passion in its dream, yet submits in its awakening.
”Pity the nation that raises not its voice save when it walks in a funeral, boasts not except among its ruins, and will rebel not save when its neck is laid between the sword and the block.
”Pity the nation whose statesman is a fox, whose philosopher is a juggler, and whose art is the art of patching and mimicking.
”Pity the nation that welcomes its new ruler with trumpetings and farewells him with hootings, only to welcome another with trumpetings once again.
”Pity the nation whose sages are dumb with years and whose strong men are yet in the cradle.
”Pity the nation divided into fragments, each fragment deeming itself a nation.”

Kahlil Gibran, The Garden Of The Prophet

Eid Al-Adha

2006-01-10T12:22:00.000Z

So, it is Eid al-Adha today..
I went to the local mosque with my son this morning.. it is a small terraced house converted to a mosque.. a far cry from the grandeur and the splendor of the Great Ommayyad Mosque in Damascus..
I listened to the Khutba, half in Arabic, and half in Urdu (which I do not understand at all).. I remembered with affection listening to the beautiful Khutba's at Salat el Eid in Damascus, and so wished my son could experience those serene feelings.. As a child, I could hear the chants of 'Allah u-akbar, Allah u-kbar, Allah u-akbar.. Walillahil hamd..' streaming out of the Rawdah mosque near our house, as I make my way hurriedly to the mosque.. I must get there early to find a place indoors.. otherwise I might get my new Eid outfit soaked through if it rains while I am standing in the outer court.. Happy days, eh..
Over here, Eid is reduced to a quick exchange of good wishes outside the make-shift (and make-believe) mosque, before rushing off back to work.. The lucky ones (and the more organized ones) would have remembered to book a day of Annual Leave for today... Never mind.. We are meeting up with some friends tonight for some scrumptious Middle Eastern feast prepared lovingly by my wife and her friends.. It will go some way to make up for having to celebrate Eid away from home..
Happy Eid to all of you and your Families, wherever you are..

A new kid on the Blog

2006-01-04T08:45:00.000Z

I am the Syrian Brit.. and this is my blog.. I want it as a forum for all Syrian ex-pats, living away from home.. I welcome postings from anybody. However, I am particularly interested in hearing from fellow countrymen (and women) living in the UK..
As you may well have guessed, I am very new to the game of blogging.. virtually a 'virgin blogger', if such a thing exists!..
I have been living in the United Kingdom since 1985.. 'Longer than I care to remember' is my stock answer to the question 'How long have you been in England?'...
Don't get me wrong.. I am not complaining.. I love England.. England has been good to me, and has given me a home, security and peace of mind, and professional contentment.. And in return, even if I say so myself, I have been good to her, in my own way, through my hard work, achievements and professionalism..
Nevertheless, there is no place like home.. and home is where the heart is.. My heart is, and will always be, in the narrow winding streets of Old Damascus.. in the cacophony of its bazaars and the fantastic chaos that rules its existence.. My love for the Old Country can happily co-habit with my appreciation and gratitude for the one that I live in..
I would be delighted to hear from anybody about their experiences, good or bad, of living away from home..